Water forum has big task to pull groups into line
August 31st, 2009
The Land and Water Forum, given just under a year to reach consensus on the future of water allocation, has a big task persuading stakeholders to put their weapons away long enough to chart the way forward. Among those eyeballing each other across the table will be Federated Farmers dairy sector head Lachlan McKenzie and Bryce Johnson, NZ director of Fish & Game, which has been running the ‘Dirty Dairy’ campaign.
Farmers and recreational lobbies have clashed up and down the country, the latter looking set to win a partial Water Conservation Order over the Hurunui River. This is water which could open up North Canterbury to more intensive farming. McKenzie says ‘Dirty Dairy’ is “going to have to stop before we can make progress.”
Members of the forum – there are about 70 in the core group – have signed confidentiality agreements, making chairman and seasoned diplomat Alastair Bisley the mouthpiece until it reports back to the Govt in June 2010. He is satisfied warring factions have bought into the process. Among current regulations to go under the microscope are Water Conservation Orders, or WCOs, which currently cover 15 rivers, with Hurunui pending. Agriculture Minister David Carter says he expects the forum “will look quite seriously on whether this is a mechanism that has outlived its usefulness.”
The forum has agreed to abide by some rules. No members are allowed to lobby the Govt “through the back door” while the work is underway. Fed Farmers’ McKenzie says WCOs are “nuts” and even the name is a misnomer, as they don’t stop water “running down the creek to the sea.” He’s definitely at the forum, though. “We see a role in the process.”
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