From New Zealand Press (30/5/2025)
A proposed shake-up of freshwater rules is drawing support from farmers and alarm from environmental advocates.
On Thursday, the Government proposed overhauling several regulatory frameworks spanning housing, infrastructure and the environment.
The proposals, alongside alternative options, are out for public consultation.
In what has been framed as a “farmer-focused” reform that will restore “balance”, the Government proposals would likely weaken existing freshwater protections in favour of economic uses of water. They have already been met with support from farmers and opposition by environmental groups.
The NPS-FW has been overhauled many times, most recently in 2020. Its current form centres on Te Mana o te Wai (TMoTW), a hierarchy of three obligations that prioritises the health of water bodies above all else.
Councils are required to reflect this in their planning, marking a significant shift from previous approaches where water quality could be weighed alongside economic considerations.
Despite its introduction five years ago, most councils have yet to implement plans that align with the 2020 policy. An original deadline of December 2024 was pushed to 2027 by the current Government in anticipation of it passing its own NPS-FW.
Supporters of TMoTW praise it for putting ecosystem health at the centre of water management. But critics, particularly within the farming sector, argue the concept is vague, overly prescriptive, and imposes excessive costs on rural landowners.
