YOUR PAPER, YOUR PLACE

Pressure seems to be mounting on the Waikato Regional Council over its recently introduced Healthy Rivers Plan, which aims to improve water quality, as farmers around the region rally to focus their opposition. Those living in Hamilton may think they’re immune to the impacts of the new plan but with one of the country’s major rivers flowing through the heart of the city, it should be on our radar, as it is for rural people. Federated Farmers Waikato vice-president Andrew McGiven makes some valid points on the matter in his column on page 5 this week. He’s worried about the costs which may be loaded onto rural ratepayers as a result of the Healthy Rivers Plan and points to data which shows improvements in water quality over the past few years. This will surely stand as a major challenge for the new regional council chairperson, and deputy chairperson, as they begin to look at their workload for the new three-year term.

Lawrence Gullery Waikato A&P Show, October 28-30, 9am-4pm daily at Claudelands Event Centre, Hamilton.