Alan Wills: A case of political grandstanding?

Farmers are engaged in cleaning up regional waterways such as the Ohinemuri River.

The announcement by the recently formed Labour-Greens alliance that it is going to put a focus on the water quality of 10 of New Zealand's major rivers is surely a case of political grandstanding.

Regional councils and the communities they represent have been charged by the Government to implement programmes to "maintain and improve our regional waterways".

This has been going on for some time now. To the best of my knowledge, every regional council in the country will have, or is considering, the necessary plans to fulfil this responsibility.

Waikato River is one of the 10 in the sights of the Labour-Greens alliance. But this river and what is being considered necessary to maintain and improve it have been under the microscope for the past three years.

A 25-member Collaborative Stakeholders Group was established three years ago, representing all sections of the community that have an interest in the river, including iwi, farming, industry, recreation, conservation and forestry.

Feeding into this group is a farmer engagement group, and sitting to the side is a technical alliance, supplying science and analysis on the social, cultural and economic consequences of the different land management options and scenarios.

The result of three years' work will be a set of recommendations to Waikato Regional Council to consider for a plan change and an extensive submission process will take place before the plan becomes law.

How this new political alliance could or expects to have an impact on this process is yet to be explained.

Throughout New Zealand, farmers are well aware of the role they need to play in maintaining and improving water quality, and they are fully engaged in the process.

What we must not forget is the role everyone must play. It is well documented, though not well reported, that often the worst water quality is closest to urban development.

Perhaps the Greens' river campaign could address this issue and look at how to better engage our urban communities on improving water quality too.

- Alan Wills is president of Rotorua-Taupo Federated Farmers