Their representatives waxed lyrical about how reckless the council was to make a rule about dairying, and predicted dire consequences for the region should we put our foot down. Some of the councilors nod, nod, nodded in agreement and were barely able to suppress their desire to shout 'hurrah!' in solidarity, but not all.
Michael Skerret, Kaiwhakahaere for Te Ao Marama and Upoko of Te Runaka o Awarua spoke on behalf of iwi and accompanied his talk with projected images of dung be-splatterd riversides, and said that they'd never accept dirty dairying. He passed around the council table, a pottle of putrid muck he'd collected from the cockle beds that in the past had been a favourite wahi kai moana for him, but was now putrescent with a mixture of farm muck, washed down from up-steam.
The photo shows me taking my turn to look at and smell the crud. The container and it's contents wasn't passed around among the farmers squeezed into the chamber, which seems a pity.
 |
10 comments:
Good god Robert, a bloody Tie and a SUIT, have you sold out, Rod Donald managed a more one finger effort than that, where are your braces man.
Yeah it is more than a little boring, Half time is longer than necessary aye.
I have three suits, Gravedodger and wear them to suit (the occasion). Ties by the score too. You can't tell from the photo, the one I've got knotted around my neck has Edvard Munch's 'The Scream' on it.
Seemed appropriate for the day.
Yeah.. I only wish I was on council to support you...
The good news from the ST website comments many in the community do not support the dairy farmers ... as one commentator said the Pollutors won and ES was the looser with the outcome of this decision.... I wonder if some councilors also were afraid that if they didnt go along ... The Govt would do another Ecan to them .....
Great to see that the council listened to concerned rate payers. Hold off on the foot down, stick to the process. Interesting to note that Michael Skerret and/or? your goodself are experts in crud smell, looks and providence.
We did Jimmy, listen to one section of ratepayers. The rest of the rate paying community has been quiet so far. When we hear from them, we'll have a balanced view and will make a good decision.
As to crud, some people like to pretend they can't see or smell it, but Michael and I are realists.
In other parts of the world the solution would be to purchase the rights to the shellfish beds, and abandon them to their fate.
Free markets - gotta love 'em
That's a possibility I hadn't considered, naive me.
Ugh, my first attempt at a reply got lost in the ether.
I'm reconsidering the wisdom of posting my first comment, I'm concerned Shane Pleasance will see it and think it is a great idea. The cockles and clams will not agree.
The idea was brought to my attention by a colleague from the UK, where he had represented the polluter who purchased the rights to a shellfish bed so they could continue to pollute. The shellfish bed and adjacent coastline died. He thought it was a brilliant plan and seemed oblivious to my disgust. With hindsight I should have been more forthright and told him directly that I disagreed.
Don't be surprised to find someone seriously suggesting that Fonterra buy the shellfish beds.
There is a great deal coming 'down the pipe' that will 'surprise' us, Armchair Critic, I'm betting.
Anything under the ground or under the sea is fair game now.
It would be nice if someone did surprise me; I've been considering changing my pseudonym to Armchair Cynic...
The thieves are in the treasury, and they are writing the laws.
Post a Comment