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September 18, 2023
Nats’ environment policy back to dirty dairying says Greenpeace
Peter Verschaffelt
Posted On September 18, 2023
Download AudioGreenpeace is calling a National Party pledge to strip back environmental protections for on-farm development reckless and racist.
Spokesperson Christine Rose says it threatens New Zealanders’ right to swimmable rivers, safe drinking water and a stable climate.
She says new fresh water and winter grazing rules are just starting to come into effect, and National wants to turn the clock back to the explosion of dairying that happened when it was last in Government.
“Our rivers are no longer safe to swim in. Animals are wallowing in mud every winter and giving birth to calves in cold mud which is totally unacceptable so you really wonder who’s interests National are serving here and it’s certainly not the environment, its certainly not future generations, and really it’s not the farmers because our international consumers are expecting more,” she says.
Christine Rose says national seems to be rejecting the principle of Te Mana o Te Wai, putting the integrity of water first, in what seems like a populist racist backlash.
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