New Zealand’s pristine and abundant rivers and lakes have long been central to its proud reputation as a land of breath-taking natural beauty – and fundamental to a clean, green, outdoorsy brand that’s used to attract millions of foreign visitors every year.
New Zealand’s abundant rivers have been central to its reputation as a land of natural beauty – but are its waterways as sparkling as the tourist ads suggest?
… the public is wising up and so are the international media. Al Jazeera is screening a two part documentary series entitled “New Zealand: Polluted Paradise” looking at our freshwater crisis.
The farm has been a staple of Kiwi life for so long, we think of it as a constant. Regardless if we live on a farm or in the city, the New Zealand farm continues to be a part of our culture. But, according to Dr Rosie Bosworth, speaking at Tipping Points in Auckland, a conference organised by the Environmental Defence Society: this is all about to change.
The environment, already a hot topic in this election, will be the greatest policy challenge for the next government………
The online survey, run by Water New Zealand, had nearly 5000 respondents and was evenly distributed through urban, regional and rural areas.
“Imposing a differential royalty on freshwater taken from rivers, lakes and aquifers has always made good sense,” says EDS CEO Gary Taylor.
“Freshwater is a public good and when it is taken for a profit-making enterprise, it makes sense to clip the ticket. That will help drive the best and most efficient use of our precious freshwater.
MP Eugenie Sage, standing in for party leader James Shaw, said that nature has a fundamental right to life, and a Green government would order a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Resource Management Act.
Country Life hosts a round table discussion looking at some of the key challenges facing farming in New Zealand.
Two chipping in earn their living as dairy farmers, and two others rattling the cage say current farming models need changing; that more attention must be given to the environment and the social well being of communities, profit mustn’t be the only consideration in a farming system.
