Greenpeace Aotearoa is concerned that freshwater protections are ‘up sh*t creek without a paddle’ after the Government’s latest report back on the Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill.
Greenpeace Aotearoa freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe says, “The health of fresh water has been in decline for decades, but by stripping away critical protections, the Luxon Government is completely ignoring that reality in favour of polluting industries.”
Among the changes proposed in the Bill is the stripping of Te Mana O Te Wai and the hierarchy of obligations from resource consent applications, which prioritises the health of freshwater ecosystems and access to safe drinking water ahead of polluting industries like intensive dairy.
“Regardless of whether the Government continues with this regressive Bill, our priority will still be stopping the pollution of fresh water and drinking water at source. That means fewer cows and less synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, especially in Canterbury,” says Appelbe.
Greenpeace will be in Canterbury next month offering free drop-in drinking water testing events for nitrate contamination in Amberley and Oxford on the 18th and 20th of October.
“In April, we found that three town supplies in North Canterbury were testing above 5 mg/L of nitrate – the level at which the NZ College of Midwives warns can increase the risk of pre-term birth for pregnant people who drink this water.
“Prior Greenpeace testing has revealed that this is an experience shared by several other Canterbury towns. Yet despite these risks, Luxon’s Government still wants to dismantle the few freshwater protections we have. We’ll continue to test drinking water for nitrates, because we’ll continue to back those impacted communities, even if Luxon won’t.”