Category Archives: Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

National – declaring war on rivers?

Green’s co-leader Russel Norman said this morning on Radio NZ National that the current government’s promise to fund irrigation infrastructure out of asset sales is akin to it making a declaration of war on our rivers. Is that a fair description? … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Resource Management Act, Uncategorized, water, water management | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Green growth in NZ – a case of once over lightly?

The Resource Management Amendment Act (RMAA 2009) seemed like a good idea at the time – and so did the Green Growth Advisory Group. The National government’s 2009 amendment to the Resource Management Act 1991 is intended to streamline and … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Environmental issues, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Resource Management, RMA 1991, Uncategorized, water | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mining lignite in Aotearoa NZ – a price too high?

Interested in what’s on the horizon in respect of our natural resources – including freshwater? Two reports released in August are worth your attention. Lignite and Climate Change: The High Cost of Low Grade Coal is a report from the Parliamentary Commissioner for the … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Geology, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Resource Management, RMA 1991, Uncategorized, water | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Avoiding the race to the bottom: The RMA – what does it mean to water in NZ?

Water is our national treasure – our toenga. It’s the reason free trade agreements with China and India might be win win. These vast nations, like the Middle East and the southern Great Plains of the US – are fast … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Resource Management, Resource Management Act, RMA 1991, water, water allocation, water management | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The price of water

Pauatahanui Inlet – rmm What price for water? In 2001, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Morgan Williams observed that enhancing and advancing water management is primarily a socio-political challenge, rather than an economic or a technical one. Nearly ten years have … Continue reading

Posted in Environment, Nick Leggett, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Porirua, Uncategorized, water, water allocation, water management | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments