Federated Farmers Welcomes Freshwater Regulations Review

Federated Farmers applauds the Government’s announcements today on a comprehensive review of freshwater regulations.

"We’re pleased to see all options are on the table and that consultation will be open until 27 July," Federated Farmers freshwater spokesperson Colin Hurst says.

"The previous Government’s freshwater rules were completely unworkable for farmers. In some cases, even if you converted a whole catchment to native forest, you still wouldn’t have achieved the bottom lines.

"The current Government simply had to push pause on these rules - and now we’re seeing steps towards more sensible national direction to local authorities."

Hurst says it’s particularly welcome that the Government wants a more balanced approach to Te Mana o Te Wai.

"That concept, as pursued by the previous Government, has been unworkable and highly problematic.

"It was unclear how councils should interpret and apply what was a vague concept of protecting the mana and mauri of water under Labour’s rules, and what that might mean for our farms and rural communities."

Under Te Mana o te Wai, the health and wellbeing of water is put ahead of all other considerations, including human health, and social, cultural and economic wellbeing.

"That seems wildly imbalanced. The Government’s announcements today recognise such a strict hierarchy is flawed."

The consultation document says: "Multiple objectives require councils to provide for multiple outcomes and can better reflect the interests of all water users."

"Federated Farmers absolutely agrees with this. In fact, we believe it’s worth considering whether Te Mano o te Wai is a concept that should be scrapped altogether, which is one of the options now on the table," Hurst says.

Another big question is whether it’s worth making these freshwater changes right now under the current Resource Management Act (RMA), or if this should wait until the Government has reformed the RMA, with the freshwater changes to follow.

"Federated Farmers will be reading through the detail of today’s announcement and going back to the Government with our position, on behalf of our members, in the next few weeks."

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