Luxon’s Government is once again putting corporate profits ahead of people’s health by proposing freshwater policies that will drive more dairy pollution at the expense of safe drinking water and swimmable rivers.
The proposed changes to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, announced today, include giving more favour to corporate uses of water like intensive dairy. This fundamentally undermines Te Mana O Te Wai, the framework that prioritises the health of freshwater ecosystems and the health of community drinking water ahead of corporate uses of water.
Greenpeace Aotearoa freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe says, “Safe drinking water requires healthy freshwater ecosystems, and that should always be the priority. But today’s decision will drive more water contamination, especially in rural communities.”
“Make no mistake, this will facilitate dairy expansion, and we know what that means for the country. More cows means more pollution from effluent and fertiliser, poisoning waterways with nitrate and nasty pathogens.”
“Just this year, several new dairy expansion consents have been approved in Canterbury, where many communities are facing a drinking water crisis as a result of nitrate contamination from intensive dairy.”
“The Government is meant to be protecting the health of communities, not lining the pockets of corporate polluters. We’ve already seen the influence the agriculture lobby has had over the rollback of freshwater protections last year, and this announcement today demonstrates how much of a hold lobbyists have over Luxon and his Cabinet.”
“But communities are ready to fight for clean drinking water and swimmable rivers, even if Luxon won’t. It’s more important than ever that local governments – like Environment Canterbury, which has responsibility over the majority of New Zealand’s freshwater ecosystems – step up and take real action to protect lakes, rivers, and drinking water.”
“That’s why we’re calling on Environment Canterbury to protect clean drinking water and put an end to dairy expansion. People across the country are standing up for better protection for lakes, rivers, and drinking water. If the politicians won’t take action, then they should expect resistance.”
Call on Christopher Luxon to leave New Zealand’s freshwater protections alone
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