Nats could have Ruataniwha rethink
ARuataniwhadamproject could be reconsidered as part of anewly proposed water storage National Party initiative. ANational-led Government would aim to safeguard local water storage by settingup a $600million fund to develop a long-term plan.
The party last weekannounced thenew proposed water storage policy, which would aim to unlock economic potential and safeguard communities against increasing drought.
National Party leader Judith Collins said while no decisions had beenmadeon specific projects, schemes like the Ruataniwhadamwould be assessed and could be considered in the future.
“National will support local government to develop the three waters infrastructure, which will include clean water
We need to either take it seriously or we don’t — there’s no point crying about what’s happening if we aren’t prepared to actually make some calls on it.
Judith Collins
infrastructure and storage,” she said.
Collins said the initiative will help businesses increase productivity and resilience after an ongoing “economic crisis”.
“The Ruataniwhadamis certainly something thatmanypeople supported here,” she said.
“I don’t want to speak specifically about Ruataniwha, but Ido knowwehave water storage issues. Weneed to either take it seriously orwedon’t— there’s no point crying about what’s happening ifwearen’t prepared to actuallymakesomecalls on it.”
A$330mplan to build thedamwas blocked by the Supreme Court in 2018, despite almost$20mof expenditure by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council on consents and planning.
TukitukiMPLawrence Yule said the fund is open to support any irrigation scheme.
“I’m confident Hawke’s Bay will get a significant share towards our storage opportunities,” he said.
Collins saidwhendone correctly, water storage can be equal parts beneficial to the environment, economyand community.
Minister for the Environment David Parker said the Labour Party are not opposed to good water storage projects.
“Wehave supported some, particularly for owners of underdeveloped land, which is disproportionatelyMa¯ori, but we’re not going to cross-subsidise hundreds of millions, huge amounts ofmoneyfor farmers to further irrigate their land,” he said.
National Party spokesman for the environment, Scott Simpson, said less than 2 per cent of the water that flows overNew Zealand is currently captured.
“About half of this is used in our towns and cities and the other half for irrigation. Our country has water, we’re just not using it,” he said. The scheme would be funded within the National Infrastructure Bank with $600mto develop a long-term plan for water storage, develop aNational Policy Statement on Water Storage and treat water as a prime strategic resource.