Federated Farmers are calling for transparency from the Otago Regional Council about the potential impacts and costs of proposed new freshwater rules.
“The council needs to be honest about what these rules might mean for our community and how much it could cost ratepayers,” Federated Farmers Otago president Luke Kane says.
“Since the release of draft regulations, there have been significant changes made, but because of the secretive nature of the consultation process the community is completely in the dark.
“This is serious stuff and there needs to be some urgency. The rules are scheduled to come into force in October and will have immediate legal effect,” Kane says.
In particular, Federated Farmers want to know how the principle of Te Mana o te Wai will be applied under the new regulations – and the cost.
“Confidential information provided to Federated Farmers suggests the costs will be more than $110 million for just two small Otago towns, equating to more than $50,000 per ratepayer,” Kane says.
“If similar costs can be expected across the rest of Otago, we’re talking about a multi-billion-dollar spend, with huge financial implications for residents.
“The regional council needs to urgently confirm whether these cost projections are accurate. If they’re not, they need to front up with the real figures fast.”
Federated Farmers say that, under the current national freshwater direction, Te Mana o te Wai does not have a fixed application.
Instead, every regional council must engage with communities and tangata whenua to determine how the concept should be applied locally.
“Federated Farmers are incredibly concerned about how the principle of Te Mana o te Wai may be applied in Otago,” Kane says.
“We understand council engagement has led to a view that that no treated wastewater that has passed through a human body can be discharged back into local waterways.
“This would mean wastewater, despite being treated to an incredibly high standard, would need to be discharged to land at significant cost to ratepayers.”
There are also significant concerns for irrigated farmers that water drawn from one waterway will not be able to be discharged into another, Kane says.
This is because of beliefs that each waterbody has a distinct mauri, or spirit, and mixing mauri would reduce the mana of the water.
“While we are respectful of our local iwi and Māori cultural beliefs, these kinds of interpretations will have huge costs and consequences for the region.”
Kane says neither of these requirements, or their associated costs ranging into the billions, will improve the scientific health of local waterways.
“They’re about improving the cultural and spiritual needs of the waterways but, given the huge implications, I think we need to have a more transparent conversation.”
Federated Farmers note that 82% of Otago’s local waterways are already swimmable.
The consultation from Otago Regional Council has been woefully insufficient given the serious implications and potential costs of these regulations, Kane says.
“The current national direction requires the regional council to engage with both the local community and tangata whenua to determine how Te Mana o te Wai should be applied.
“While they’ve quite rightly engaged with local Iwi, the wider local community have not had sufficient opportunity to feed into the process.”
Farmers and others are in the dark as to what action will be required to meet onerous new national bottom lines for freshwater management, Kane says.
“We’ve asked the council to share data on the naturally occurring levels of sediment in Otago, so farmers and foresters can manage their contributions to sediment in waterways.
“In many cases across New Zealand, sediment bottom lines are below those achievable even if a catchment was in its natural state.
“Disappointingly, we have not had any response.”
The Government is currently reviewing the national direction for freshwater, including the concept of Te Mana o te Wai and national bottom lines.
While this review is underway, the Government has extended the deadline for regional councils to notify new plans to the end of 2027.
“So, there’s no pressure to rush this plan through in October,” Kane says.
“Otago Regional Council needs to slow down, be transparent with our community, and carry out further consultation on the true costs and implications of these regulations.
“This would also allow more time for the council to understand and respond to changing central government direction on freshwater management.”
Federated Farmers, New Zealand’s leading independent rural advocacy organisation, has established a news and insights partnership with AgriHQ, the country’s leading rural publisher, to give the farmers of New Zealand a more informed, united and stronger voice. Federated Farmers news and commentary appears each week in its own section of the Farmers Weekly print edition and online.
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