Water rally flows into Manawatu
here. ‘‘It’s just an amazing feeling.’’ After the survivors’ lap, thousands of people prepared to tackle their part of the relay.
Jon Hogan, from the organising committee, said muddy grounds meant walkers were moved on to a concrete footpath, but the track was moved back on to the grass on Sunday morning.
The move meant running was banned, so schools, which often competed to complete the fastest laps, had to think up a new gameplan.
Tararua College sports leader Mycah Keall said her team would walk at Olympic speed, after narrowly missing out on first place last year.
Although there were schools and work groups involved in the relay, others made it a family affair.
The Montgomery family, a group of
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Relay for Life photos Environmental activists pushing for clean, swimmable water are holding a rally in Palmerston North.
Fifteen Save Our Water rallies are happening across New Zealand on Tuesday at 12pm, in line with a petition being received by Green MP Catherine Delahunty in Parliament.
National rally organiser Jen Banje started the petition in January, calling for a halt on water exports until acceptable legislation is in place to protect the resource. Banje launched the petition after plans were revealed to pipe glacial water from a dam at Tuning Fork Creek, in Westland, directly on to ships headed overseas.
Rallies are taking place nationwide, from Whangerei to Nelson and Wairarapa. Organiser Justin Offord said he wanted clean water to be an election issue for all parties this year.
In February, the Government announced a new target of having 90 per cent of New Zealand’s lakes and rivers reaching swimmable water quality standards by 2040. The target will be based on meeting the water quality standard at least 80 per cent of the time, in line with the European and United States definition.
Offord said the policy needed stricter standards to provide clean, swimmable waterways and safe drinking water for everyone. The rally will give Horizons Regional Council and environmental organisations a chance to discuss what is a national and regional issue.
Forest and Bird chief executive Kevin Hague, Green MP Thomas Nash and Palmerston North city councillor Brent Barrett will speak at the Palmerston North rally. Barrett said he would be attending in a personal capacity, as he hoped the rally would put pressure on leaders to improve the health and security of the country’s rivers.
Horizons Regional Council chairman Bruce Gordon will also speak at the rally, which is being held outside Horizons’ office on Victoria Ave, Palmerston North.