Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.
Such is the quote from Samuel Coleridge’s famous poem, “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner“. It’s the first thing that came to mind when I read phil u’s comment this morning about Russel and Trevor Mallard going head to head on Morning Report. Russel did best Trevor in the debate, but in fairness to Trevor he has inherited a ministry that has struggled for some time to deliver the goods.
Mallard’s press release yesterday calling for more measurement of water takes is laudable, but hardly a bold step in sorting out the appalling state of water in this country. In this morning’s interview, Russel slammed Labour’s glacial progress on water policy, saying that “after eight and a half years in government, it’s not good enough.”
Russel asked why Mallard is unwilling to review Benson-Pope’s decision to give ‘requiring authority’ to a private company in Canterbury that allows them to take land in order to build a massive irrigation scheme. All this at a time when water issues have local blood pressure running high. No real answer was given.
Russel asked why the MfE doesn’t make converting to dairy notifiable under the RMA, given that the MfE (and Mallard) acknowledge that such land use intensifications are the biggest source of the problem. Mallard hinted that this might happen, but hedged on timing or mechanism. Cowardice, I say!
Mallard said it would take at least a generation or two to clean up NZ’s disgustingly filthy waterways. No, really? Then why 8 years of delay and the promise of more delays? That’s half a generation gone already. Personally, I’d like to live to see the day we can once again swim safely in our rivers and lakes. Wouldn’t you?
