Editorial: Sense at last
OPINION: For the first time in many years, a commonsense approach is emerging to balance environmental issues with the need for the nation's primary producers to be able to operate effectively.
Last month, Kenneth McIntyre and his employer, Kaimai Pork Ltd, were convicted and fined $128,750 – a record for environmental offending in Waikato.
And the Environment Court has now issued an enforcement order prohibiting McIntyre from managing animal effluent, managing animal numbers and making financial decisions.
The order follows McIntyre’s fourth prosecution for piggery-related offences against the Resource Management Act. They were brought against him and Kaimai Pork by the Waikato Regional Council and related to the operation of a recently established commercial piggery near Te Aroha.
McIntyre was one of the company directors and responsible for management of the site, including effluent disposal. The piggery began operating with excessive stock numbers and without appropriate infrastructure, resulting in unlawful discharges of effluent to the environment. Despite a council direction to stop, the unlawful discharges continued.
McIntyre’s history of environmental offending dates back to 2006. Council records indicate he has had ten formal warnings, three infringement notices, five abatement notices and has had three prosecutions.
“We had little choice but to put Mr McIntyre back in front of the court over the most recent offending,” said council investigations manager Patrick Lynch.
“Over the years the council has used every tool available to encourage positive behavior change, but this has not worked. This fine, and the court order, is a clear message to Mr McIntyre to change his ways.”
