August 06, 2013
Lake accord cheap theatre
The signing of an accord to clean up Lake Horowhenua has been slammed as theatre to appease the natives.
The accord was signed on Sunday by the Horowhenua District Council, Horizons Regional Council the Department of Conservation, the Lake Horowhenua Trust, and the Lake Domain Board.
Horowhenua mayor Brendan Duffy also gave a formal apology to the Muaupoko iwi at Kohuturoa Marae, near Levin.
But Phil Taueki of Muaupoko, who has been fighting for 20 years to clean up the lake, says it was PR for polluters.
He says a similar accord was signed 15 years ago, and the council is still abusing what is one of the country’s most polluted lakes.
"I've got an application in the Māori Land Court to divert the storm water drain which the council discharges into Lake Horowhenua without any permission. Council lawyers are in the court opposing that. I've got an application to remove the sewage treatment plant which is located next to the lake and periodically overflows raw sewage into the lake. Their councils are opposing that," he says.
Mr Taueki says most of the owners of the lake boycotted the signing.
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