Wednesday, 01 March 2017 11:55

Submissions on river plans set to close

Written by 
Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman. Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman.

Submissions on Waikato Regional Council’s plan to lift river water quality close next week but there’s little chance for an extension.

The council’s management has knocked back a request by farmer groups to extend the closing date; submissions for the Healthy River Plan Change close March 8.

Six farmer groups— Horticulture New Zealand, Federated Farmers, Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association, Waikato and Waipa branches of the New Zealand Deer Farmers’ Association, Primary Land Users Group, and Beef + Lamb New Zealand— have filed a judicial review against the plan.

These groups claim that in making this decision, the WRC has failed to comply with requirements of the Resource Management Act (RMA) to ensure integrated management of the natural and physical resources of the region and to give effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPSFM).

Since November last year, when the WRC withdrew 120,000 hectares from the plan to enable consultation with Hauraki iwi, the farmer groups have been trying to get the submission date deferred, or put on hold, while that consultation takes place.

Horticulture New Zealand chief executive Mike Chapman says he is disappointed by the “delay tactics” used by the council.

"We do not want to have to work through two separate submission processes, and spend a lot of time and money on lawyers and court processes.

"We have variously written, emailed, tried to talk to council and councillors, and appeared before council meetings.

But council chief executive Vaughan Payne says any extension could actually be against the interest of rural sector groups.

A decision on the plan change needs to be made within two years of it having been publicly notified last October.

“If we delay closing off the submissions on 8 March this will leave less time for us to work with submitters on resolving any issues prior to public hearings due to get underway late this year or early 2018. We want as much time as possible to do this before the two year deadline for a decision on the plan change is up.

“We indicated to Horticulture NZ before they filed their court application that we would rather spend our energies working with them to resolve issues than getting tied up in legal battles. But they and the others went ahead anyway.”

Payne stressed that it had been known since September last year that there was an 8 March 2017 deadline for submissions, four times the usual period required under the Resource Management Act.

More like this

Food security crucial

Hort NZ chair Barry O'Neil says food supply and security is fundamental to New Zealand's future.

How hort fared in 2023

For the country's horticultural sector, it's been a year that started off with the worst weather imaginable. It also had plenty of drama and intrigue and ended up with us getting a new tri-party government that has collectively promised to fix everything! Peter Burke reports.

Optimism grows

HorticultureNZ chair Barry O'Neil believes the mood in the sector is more positive than it's been all year.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Knowing bugs means fewer drugs

A mastitis management company claims to deliver the fastest and most accurate mastitis testing available at scale for New Zealand…

Machinery & Products

AGTEK and ARGO part ways

After 12 years of representing the Landini and McCormick brands in New Zealand, Bay of Plenty-based AGTEK and the brands’…

100 years of Farmall Tractors

Returning after an enforced break, the Wheat and Wheels Rally will take place on the Lauriston -Barhill Road, North-East of…

JD unveils its latest beast

John Deere has unveiled its most powerful tractor ever, with the launch of the all new 9RX Series Tractor line-up…

Biggest Quadtrac coming to NZ!

In the biggest announcement that Case IH Australia/New Zealand has made around its tractor range, its biggest tractor is about…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Why?

OPINION: A mate of yours truly wants to know why the beef schedule differential is now more than 45-50 cents…

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter