Government’s solutions to water crisis are a band aid on a broken leg

The Government’s weak strategy for cleaning up fresh water won’t undo years of abuse, unless we change our farming model, and take a hard long look at how we develop land in this country, the Green Party said today.

The comments come on the back of a report by the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor Sir Peter Gluckman, which found that some waterways are beyond tipping point and others will take decades to recover.

“When even National’s science advisor is pointing out how agricultural intensification has wreaked havoc on our waterways, you have to wonder why the Government is persisting in trying to double our primary exports and push for growth at all costs,” said Green Party water spokesperson Catherine Delahunty.

“New Zealanders told the Government that they want swimmable rivers, but National’s solutions to the water crisis will only see waterways further polluted by development. The Government’s solutions are just a band aid on a broken leg that future generations are being left to fix up.

“We need a moratorium on new dairy farms that will give us time to look at how we can change the farming model and reduce the number of cows on farms, and prevent their waste from polluting our rivers and leaching into groundwater. Nitrates from cow waste and over-use of fertilisers wash into our rivers and poison habitats for fish and other animals.

“All the riparian planting and fencing animals out of waterways won’t address the real issue affecting water in rural areas, which is that there are too many cows crammed into this country’s paddocks,” said Ms Delahunty.

 

Latest Environment Announcements

Story

NZ needs strong protection against water privatisation

New Zealanders deserve strong protection against the future privatisation of water assets, the Green Party says.
Read More

Story

Nature missing in RMA reform

The Government has missed a crucial opportunity to redesign the resource management system with climate and nature at its heart. 
Read More

Story

Report shows reducing actual farming emissions vital

Evidence shows that relying on offsets to reduce agriculture’s impact on the climate will not work, the Green Party says.
Read More

Story

Budget 2022: Greens call for urgency with nature-first climate investments

Budget 2022 shows progress on conservation commitments in the Green Party’s cooperation agreement Green Party achievements in the last Government ...
Read More

Story

Nature needs us to act right now

The Green Party welcomes the release of the implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy and calls on the ...
Read More

Story

Urgent action needed to bring natural environment back from the brink

The release today of Environment Aotearoa 2022 is a sobering reminder of what is at stake if the Government does not step up and take urgent action...
Read More

Latest Water Announcements

Story

Changes needed to three waters plans

Greater local oversight and control, seven instead of four entities, stormwater staying with councils, and stronger safeguards against privatisatio...
Read More

Story

National reckless on rivers

The opposition’s dangerous plan to scrap rules to improve the health of rivers and lakes around Aotearoa highlights the importance of having a stro...
Read More

Clean Water

From the maunga to moana, water is a taonga which must be protected, but too many rivers, lakes, and wetlands have been polluted over the years, an...
Read More

Story

Strongest ever water reforms mean swimmable rivers within a generation

The Green Party says major freshwater reforms announced today provide the strongest ever protections of our waterways, to help ensure the next gene...
Read More

Story

Flood of support for Top of the South catchment

Work to look after nature and restore freshwater quality in Te Hoiere/Pelorus River catchment is getting a significant boost, thanks to new Governm...
Read More

Story

OIA reforms mean more attention to nature and cultural values

The Green Party welcome proposed changes to the Overseas Investment Act (OIA) that will see stronger controls on applications by overseas interests...
Read More