9 April 2011

Environment minister Nick Smith and agriculture minister David Carter have publicly released the final report of the Land and Water Forum, saying it provides a good framework for advancing water reform.

Some of the participants in the forum including Irrigation New Zealand, say it is now time to start implementing its recommendations. But Smith has conceded that tougher controls on the quality of rivers, lakes and streams are "realistically several years away".

The report has made 53 recommendations on water management to the government.

It has said the "first in-first served" system of allocating water rights does not work in areas of high demand. And it urged the government to consider auctioning or tendering permits and allow those to be freely traded.

The forum also recommended a national regulator to oversee pricing and performance in water services management, and advised the government to develop a national policy statement.

According to a report in The Dominion Post, the minister told the Lake Water Quality Society Symposium in Rotorua there would be a "staged programme of reform".

His priority would be the policy statement. "The wider recommended reforms will take longer to determine and, realistically, several years to implement."

Improving water management was a huge challenge, he said.

The forum was set up by the government to consider the balance between environmental and economic concerns around the growing demand for fresh water.

To combat pollution problems from seepage, run-off and other causes, it proposed charging farmers. The forum also advised setting up a commission to co-ordinate the clean-up of waterways and oversee the implementation of standards for quality and use of freshwater.

"Better freshwater management is critical to our primary industries, our great Kiwi lifestyle, our tourism industry, to iwi, to our clean environment, and to the electricity sector," Dr Smith said.

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said Dr Smith was "sitting" on a draft of the national policy statement.

"I am gravely concerned he will pull the teeth of the NPS so it won't result in real action on the ground."

The Land and Water Forum was established in 2009 involving 58 stakeholders from agricultural and environmental groups, iwi, energy companies, recreational interests, and industry. It presented its report, A Fresh Start for Freshwater, in September last year and has subsequently held 18 public meetings involving more that 1200 people to discuss its recommendations.

"It is encouraging that there is an emerging consensus on the key elements of the reform that is required," Dr Smith said. "It is clear that central government needs to provide clearer national direction, that limits need to be set around allocation and water quality, and that there are further economic opportunities from New Zealand's freshwater resource from storage and wise management.

"The government has wanted the Land and Water Forum report and public consultation to be completed before making final decisions on the National Policy Statement on Freshwater. This is now our immediately priority and our ambition is to have that work completed this year. The wider recommended reforms will take longer to determine and realistically several years to implement.

"Better freshwater management is critical to our primary industries, our great Kiwi lifestyle, our tourism industry, to iwi, to our clean environment, and to the electricity sector. Those competing interests make the job difficult but the Land and Water Forum shows these groups are working together and want government to make improvements."

Click here to read the report.