I want to make it clear that I do not disagree with making our waterways cleaner and safer. Yes, once there was a time when we could swim in all the rivers here, but I have also swum at beaches in Hong Kong in the 1980s where faeces were floating in the water, and gobs of spit surrounded swimming platforms. I’m not saying any of that was okay, but where you have increasing populations, especially where many have come from overseas where people never took care of their waterways, you are always going to have problems.
Trouble is that that this government is mostly ignoring the issues of swimmable rivers in our urban areas, where we do have some very serious issues. Instead, they are putting the onus totally and incredibly on the farming community.
Federated Farmers says sweeping new rules proposed to clean up the country’s waterways will force some out of the dairy industry. But Government has called the claim “ridiculous” and says plenty in the farming sector are already on board with a need for urgent change.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Environment Minister David Parker on Thursday unveiled new proposals for a swathe of changes intended to clean up New Zealand’s rivers, streams and lakes.
But only rural ones, you will note.
Much of the debate about river quality has centred on the effects of nitrates coming from growing and intensifying dairy farming in recent decades – and, in particular, livestock waste and fertiliser adding nitrate into waterways, along with pollution from sewage and urban growth.
The 19 proposals outlined on Thursday include new rules that will affect both country and city.
But in one of the most significant changes, the Government plans to from June, 2020 restrict further intensification of rural land.
It would mean dairy conversions over 10ha or irrigation schemes would only go ahead if they could prove they wouldn’t increase pollution, likely putting a brake on some development.
Again, I don’t entirely disagree, but I have two problems with this. First, in spite of the claim that these new rules affect both country and city, that is not the way it appears. Secondly, farmers are being hit from all sides, as they still have to come to terms with the requirements under the Zero Carbon Bill, which will also be damaging, if not terminal for some farmers.
Other changes farmers may face include:
requirements for individual farm plans that consider water quality
• An interim nitrogen cap for waterways in some regions
• Stricter rules to keep stock away from waterways
• New restrictions for winter grazing, feedlots and stock holding areas; and
• Protections designed to stop development on wetlands.
And for urban waterways?
The recommendations would also require councils around the country to eventually set significantly tougher rules around nutrients in waterways.
‘Eventually’…
But some of the changes will come at a price to farmers. Fencing along waterways alone is expected to cost $600 million over the next decade, among a series of other costs.
“It becomes very hard to continue economically farming animals or growing vegetables under a regime like this,” environment and water spokesperson Chris Allen said.
“The long-term targets for nitrogen reduction, are effectively unachievable in some parts of the country, and will end pastoral farming in these areas.”
Don’t underestimate this. Fonterra is in disarray, and the Zero Carbon Bill is going to cost farmers a lot of profit and angst. Sometimes, you really do have to wonder if our government really hates our primary industries.
And for the Greenies, it seems these new rules will affect vegetable growers too. Oh, the irony…
Addressing the concerns, [damien] O’Connor said he had sympathy that many farmers were already struggling.
But he said claims dairy farmers would be driven out of parts of the country, or that the goals were unachievable were “ridiculous”.
A Newspaper
It is not ridiculous.
Damien O’Connor has proved a poor MP for primary industries, mainly because the government he is part of hates farmers, particularly the Green faction. It is hard to see their attitude towards farmers in any other way.
Good luck with retaining your seat, Damien. I hope you fail. You definitely don’t deserve it.
I am sure I don’t need to remind you that this government can find money to fund the children of doctors into tertiary education, and can pay millionaire superannuitants a winter energy payment… but they don’t seem to be able to help our primary industries by throwing a little bit of money their way to help with improving water quality… often in areas where no one ever tries to swim. They could afford it, as many of their projects still remain unfunded because they have no idea how to make things happen. Maybe we need to call on Shane Jones and his $3 billion to help out here. After all, he has nothing else to do with the money.
Once again, it is all about ideology. After all, meat (for those Labour and Green supporters that eat it) and vegetables come in tidy little polystyrene trays, or – gadzooks! – plastic bags, don’t they?
Who needs farmers?