Our rivers deserve better than ‘quick and dirty’

Water is a public good. No one automatically has the right to pour contaminants or waste into water - or land, in circumstances where it may enter water. 

Yet, last week, the Government weakened key provisions of the Resource Management Act, meaning more pollution into rivers, lakes, wetlands and estuaries - such as nitrate from cow urine - is suddenly allowable.   

As ELI's Senior Researcher, Anna Sintenie, wrote in The Press on Friday: 

"This is a disaster for our unique aquatic ecosystems and for efforts to make them healthy enough for our tamariki to enjoy once again.  

"These law changes have been rushed through, without any public input or scrutiny." 

It comes after ELI’s recent successful High Court case challenging Environment Canterbury's consent allowing the ALIL irrigation scheme to discharge to the Hakatere River and hāpua.

The presiding judge, Justice Mander, ruled that the Council’s decision to grant the resource consent was based on a material error of law, and highlighted the already “significant adverse cumulative effects on the lower reaches of the Hakatere/Ashburton River and hāpua” from the scheme.

The High Court revoked the unlawfully issued consent and directed ECan to rehear ALIL’s application, this time with proper regard to s107.

Almost immediately, ‘big farm’ lobbyists wrote to Ministers, and by August, the Coalition Government announced it would amend section 107 of the RMA. They swiftly tacked it on at the last minute to other changes to the RMA, which were passed by Parliament last week. At second reading, RMA reform Minister Chris Bishop called the amendments “quick and dirty”.

As Sintenie says, "By this means, the Government completely evaded the usual law-making process, removing any opportunity for the public to have a say. Not only have the Government expanded scope for consents to pollute, outside of minimum standards, but they are also undermining democratic law-making." 

Read the full piece in The Press here.