Residents, including pupils from three North Otago primary schools, will be able to tell Minister for the Environment Nick Smith about their environmental concerns at a forum at Totara School today.
The forum has been arranged by Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean for the Bluegreens - a National Party caucus group made up of 13 members of Parliament who are committed to exploring environmental policy in a number of wide-ranging areas.
The forum, open to the public and starting at 8.45am at the Totara School Hall, will be chaired by Mrs Dean and starts with five guest speakers.
One of its features will be a "soapbox" at which local people will be given a chance to speak for between three and five minutes on issues that are close to their hearts.
They include pupils from Totara School, which won this year's Waitaki District Council waste minimisation award, Hampden Community Energy member Dugald MacTavish, Omarama farmer Tony Gloag and Oamaru Penguin Colony manager Jason Gaskill.
The guest speakers, include Dr Smith, former Waitaki mayor Alan McLay on "intensive farming and the environment", Dunedin list MP Michael Woodhouse, Otago Regional Council councillor Doug Brown and Waitaki Resource Recovery Trust's Marion Shore on waste minimisation.
