100 percent pure NZ?

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100 percent pure NZ?

3News NZ

NZ's water quality is under international scrutiny

NZ's water quality is under international scrutiny

It was always going to be a tall order - to live up to our tourism board branding 100 percent pure.

International media always looking to pounce on any indiscretion and now they think they've found one - and it's a big one: The quality of our water our lowland rivers and our lakes.

Last month John Key was in London for the royal wedding, and it wasn't all tea with the Queen and her corgis.

Our Prime Minister also met with reporter Stephen Sackur on the BBC's Hardtalk programme.

If Stephen Sackur did come to New Zealand, one place the government might not be keen for him to visit is Waituna lagoon.

In 1971 in Iran this country signed an international pledge to protect Waituna one of our last major wetlands just east of Invercargill.

Today scientists say the huge lagoon is dying. It could happen as soon as this summer, or it could be longer, but make no mistake - they say it is on its way out.

Watch the video.

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Comments

23/11/2012 10:57:58 p.m.

Tamarah wrote:

The truth is New Zealand is not a land meant to be farmed for live stock! You can compare animal farming to possums because they are not supposed to be in New Zealand and they cause Damage! Just like animal farming! Just because everyone wants to get fat on crap milk and cheese and wants to make their millions on killing a beautiful unique land shouldn't mean we destroy New Zealand! The dairy industry has to much control over New Zealand But Kiwis need to look at how they treat their own human waste as well! it all comes into it New Zealnaders are terrible they throw crap out their car windows and leave rubbish and stuff everywhere no one seems to care about this beautiful land anymore! makes me sick!

7/06/2011 8:17:03 p.m.

NATHAN wrote:

what a complete load of twaddle the farmers say oh we did not know what the compliance issues were well I say to them when was the last time your children could swim in the local farm river you have on your property maketu Ohiwa Tauranga Raglan the list goes on the profite go to farmers to buy fancy hilux utes and big brick homes well fix the pollution you alone cause you.

7/06/2011 9:31:59 a.m.

Nita wrote:

Everyone is blaming the farmers! Have you ever wondered where your own crap goes to, from each and everyone one of you??? Have you ever wondered where it goes to from your own toilet?? It is the regional and district councils and government that you need to blame! 99% of all your sewage goes into waterways! Why???? Because it is the cheapest option! It is a filthy practice! The only way to make change, is for the people in NZ to say "NO"! Enough is enough! Go to meeetings, put in your submissions, write to the papers, because you the people are the only ones that can make change.

2/06/2011 9:36:03 p.m.

Rose wrote:

Tim Mackle is not convinced that cows are causing the death of the Waituna Lagoon and wants more science. He will know that 70% of nitrate leaching on dairy farms is
a result of the " urine patch effect". An average dairy cow will urinate 22 - 26 litres nitrate rich urine per day which equates to 26,000 litres daily ( a full tanker truck trailer load ) on an average 1,000 cow farm. This happens every day, 365 days per year. Farmers have to try and capture the nutrient input before loosing it to the subsoil
and eventually to the water table, stream beds, lakes and wetlands. As can seen on the video this is impossible on the wet, boggy soils surrounding the Waituna Lagoon. How much more science do we need to stop this?

2/06/2011 1:23:05 p.m.

Ben wrote:

Shouldn't an elected prime minister speak in terms of 'our' point of view, not merely his own? OR, is he merely a representative of the culprits here?

2/06/2011 6:38:45 a.m.

Mike wrote:

I admit I'm not normally a fan of John's but he did a good story here. The "dirty dairying" issue is regarded by the farming lobby as just another part of the climate change denial industry. Heads in the sand - we see nothing, we know nothing! The clean green image of NZ is total crap! and has been for decades. If anyone dares to tell the truth they are castigated for it, not the people who do the polluting. There are certainly good farmers out there who do their best but they are undermined by others who have the "my land, my fiefdom" mentality and believe they have the right to do what they like and damn the consequences to anyone else. If they kept their pollution to themselves it may not be so much of a problem, but they see the need to share it by pumping effluent into public waterways, thanks a lot fellas!

31/05/2011 8:41:38 p.m.

Moose wrote:

What a great effort Campbell Live. We need more discussion on this. There are some good farmers doing great things out there, but they do it quietly. I am sure some are ashamed there is poor leadership, and a lack of accountability within their own industry. Maybe your next show could demonstrate what some farmer leaders are doing, in detail, and see who is supporting them to do it. That would be a good story. There are emerging thinkers and innovators out there who are 20 years ahead of the main stream. They have not learnt this from their industry - but have realised there is an urgency for change, and they want pride back in their industry. Unfortunately Dr. Tim M. just doesnt get it.

30/05/2011 9:50:36 p.m.

Honora wrote:

Graham is asking us to assist the dairying industry in setting up riparian strips for farmers. Hilarious. I think with all the subsidies dairying gets already e.g. water consents, irrigation costs, subsidised diesel and utilities these parasites have done enough bleeding of the taxpayers without us doing more for them. Milk should be sold for its true environmental cost as should everything else. I'll stick to rice milk and boycott Fonterra. I knew Tim Mackle when he was a teenager and if I were his family, I'd be ashamed at his rambling spin. He acts as if this non-compliance is all new...and tries to ascribe the blame elsewhere but what do you expect from a boy from a longstanding dairying dynasty. He is morally on a par with those apologists for the tobacco industry.

30/05/2011 8:59:35 p.m.

pete wrote:

Well said Graham I for one would like to milk dairy cows to help those poor farmers out.. can I do the early morning shift please? after that I'll dive in the lake with my net and scoop some crap out and later on I'll do some fencing before I go and buy a $4 litre of milk! Anything to help my fellow dairy farmer out!
I could even give up my job, so we can all pull together as a team...and put a couple of hebes in the garden, and before you know it, we'll be right as rain?!
You wouldn't be a dairy farmer would you Graham??

30/05/2011 2:18:21 p.m.

Joyce wrote:

When oh when are we going to do something about the pollution caused by intensive dairying? The Government dodged the issue of water quality standards in the recently released NPS on Freshwater and passed the problem to Regional Councils. So come on Regional Councils - show some leadership here before we completely ruin all of our lowland waterways. Farmer Advisors can show farmers how to control effluent, prepare nutrient budgets and improve their bottom lines by being good stewards of the environment. Many are doing so. However, recent research has shown that only so much can be achieved by education - significant change will not occur without regulation.