Minister’s intervention welcomed but Cabinet should go further
Posted by: Brendon Burns, in Media Release
8 January 2010
The decision of the Environment Minister Nick Smith to intervene in the factory dairy farming resource consents in the Mackenzie Basin has been welcomed by Labour water spokesperson Brendon Burns.
Dr Smith announced today that he is working with Environment Canterbury which wrote to him on 23rd December asking if he might call in the three mega-farm resource consents, given widespread public opposition.
Dr Smith has indicated he may appoint an official from the Environmental Protection Agency to assist ECan as it continues to process the resource consents.
Brendon Burns says that may assist, but the issues raised by the resource consents submission process indicate a range of serious concerns for New Zealand’s export and tourism base and for the water quality of the MacKenzie Basin’s pristine lakes.
“I would hope that the first Cabinet meeting of the year on January 19th will consider these potential wider impacts on New Zealand and look at whether a wider intervention than that proposed today by Dr Smith is appropriate and feasible.
“The MacKenzie Basin’s fragile environment is too precious to be put at any risk,” Brendon Burns says.
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