Water returns likely to please farmers

Environment Minister Amy Adams and Primary Industry Minister Nathan Guy last week launched a discussion document intended to further change the way fresh water is managed. Top priority is for regional councils to do more and do it better.  And it sets ‘compulsory’ national values and outcomes which regional councils must incorporate in their plans.

The compulsory values relate to ecosystems and human health. Also addressed are food security, irrigation, stock water and economic and community development. It sets out national minimum standards for water bodies. Maori values also assume a high priority. And it requires councils to use a collaborative model when producing their plans.

The Government proposes regional councils be required to do ‘water accounting’, i.e. account for all water takes and sources of contamination to ensure better local decision making. 

Adams says in the past New Zealand has lacked sophistication in its use and management of fresh water. Decisions have been made with insufficient information. 

The proposed reforms provide that some core key scientific data be supplied to councils to help avoid prolonged legal battles.

“In a country of 4.5 million people it makes no sense to be battling over the limited number of experts we have in this area. All we see is the same battles over the same issues of science and economics fought time and time again, plan by plan, consent by consent across the country – which to most of us seems an enormous waste of resources. 

“This framework is to get consistency on the numerics, the framework and the application. This package is to give communities a collaborative approach whereby they get in and sort the stuff up-front rather than at the end.”

The intention is a collaborative, rather than an adversarial, approach.