That's the message from Nick Smith who believes that the public don't want to hear that kind of dirty talk. He's told Bryce Johnson of Fish & Game NZ to give up the old battle to clean up the rivers and just trust the Government. National, says Smith, has sternly told regional councils to get it sorted and by golly they will...eventually, but the F&G chief executive is not convinced and neither is anyone else who has been watching the deterioration of the rivers (Manawatu anyone?) and the explosion of dairying throughout the country. Here in Southland, we're in for it - our cow numbers have shot up frighteningly - we're now supporting six and a half times as many dairy cows as we had six years ago. Waituna is testament to what can result from that sort of development.
"No natural system can support that number of cows."
Many rivers, including the Manawatu, Rakaia and Waikato, were under threat, Bryce said.
Federated Farmers water issues spokesman Ian MacKenzie said farmers were as keen as any group to improve water
quality.
"Nobody wants to see Lake Taupo turn into a cesspit."
However, pollution came from many sources, including industry and urban development.
"This just seems to be grandstanding."
Grandstanding indeed.
Labour's water spokesman, Brendon Burns, said the report made a mockery of Government promises to improve water quality.
"Nick Smith has ripped the guts out of the inquiry advice, and ... his handling of this actually means water quality across our streams, rivers and lakes will continue to get worse."
The Greens signalled the same thing well before the release of the national policy for freshwater management. "Toothless" was a phrase that seemed to suit and that's seemingly what we've now got - a direction to get on with the job and a set of gums to do it with.
The Stuff report is here and it's well worth reading.
