Politics aside, it is all water under the bridge
Whatever your political views are on who should have prevailed over notifying our regional land and water plan, the result will play out in the health of our rivers and streams.
What we know for sure is that, apart from those that flow out of national parks, they are in a poor state.
We spent $18 million on gathering information on the causes and a plan for addressing them.
The causes are multiple and known.
Delaying action on improving water quality in Otago rivers should be seen for what it is, kicking the can down the road. The obvious result will be continued declining water quality.
For those crowing over this government’s latest move against our regional representatives, don’t feign surprise when "No Swimming" signs are posted on your local swimming sites or blame the ducks, the dry summer or the dead fish for causing it.
Phil Murray
Chairman, Central Otago Environmental Society.
Principled stand
Finally someone has stood by his principles and spoken out about where the environment of New Zealand is heading. Farmers may be celebrating the government’s decisions but they need to look beyond that to the future. Many farmers try very hard to fulfil their environment obligations.
Where will the others be when the phone calls that former ORC councillor Bryan Scott predicts happen. The world is changing. Our clean green image has been the trademark that sold our produce. We cannot turn a blind eye if this is in danger and our goods are no longer sought after by the overseas markets.
It has been tradition for people to leave a legacy behind for their families. Maybe they would trade possessions and money for clean air to breathe and rivers that can be fished and swum in.
Mary Laurenson
Balclutha
A good day
Your response to Peter Foster (Letters ODT 28.10.24) actually says plenty about the editorial stance of the ODT on the matter of the government intervention in the plans of the ORC.
While you correctly say that the headline (Intervention: ‘very sad day for democracy') quotes an opposition MP, you could just have easily quoted either Cr Michael Laws or Cr Gary Kelliher from the same article. Therefore, you could have headlined the story "Intervention: ‘much needed political sanity to regional council table’ " (Cr Laws) or "Intervention: ‘government showing concern for ratepayers’ " (Cr Kelliher).
The neutral and balanced way to headline the story was surely something like "Government intervenes before ORC meeting".
Peter Foster is absolutely correct. It was a very good day for democracy. The Dunedin-centric ODT should realise that the balance of population and therefore political power is shifting in this province from the coast to the hinterland. The recent reallocation of seats on the ORC is a reflection of this.
Peter Williams
Cromwell
Flushed away
Jim Barclay's letter (26.10.24) appeared the same day as a report of elevated nitrate levels in the Lower Waihao Rural Water Scheme.
Farming intensification without remedial and preventive environmental mitigation actions has consequences. This is what ORC's Freshwater Plan addressed.
The ratepayers’ money has been flushed down the toilet in a bullying action by the government. It is now up to farmers to consider the environment as well as business without being forced by legislation to do so. The plan provided a reasonable time frame for implementation . We must now wonder, will such a plan ever happen?
Gina Browne
Caversham
A 1000-year war that one side can not win
I read all the letters to the Otago Daily Times regarding the situation in Gaza.
An unspoken fundamental issue that will never bring peace and self-rule to Palestinian people is the Zionist’s literal interpretation of the Bible. When the totality of all of Palestine is in the complete ownership of the Jewish people Jesus will return and a great holy war will take place.
A documentary called Praying for Armageddon is worth watching. When the Israel minister to the United Nations was asked why Jewish settlers keep taking land from West Bank Palestinians, he held up the Bible and said it is written in here.
Northern Gaza has already fallen; it only remains to see how Israel will get rid of the remaining 300,000 refugees.
We have two groups occupying one tiny sliver of land with both chanting from the river to the sea. The group with the biggest bombs will eventually win. The price will be the deaths of innocents on both sides.
The world is never going to change the mindsets of both parties, each of whom believe that land is their land.
I think the time has come to redraw the lines and somehow move Gaza over beside the West Bank boundary’s, and Jewish settlers vacate the West Bank, and the world builds a UN-monitored buffer zone.
Of course the Palestinian people are getting the poor end of this proposal and will have to give up Jerusalem to appease the Israelis.
However, the only other option is certain death and the disappearance of a civilisation. This is a 1000-year war, with brief pauses, that Palestinians cannot win.
The only comfort I can offer the Palestinian people is support. I empathise, but resistance is certain death. No-one is coming to save you.
Mark Wallace
Belleknowes
Address Letters to the Editor to: Otago Daily Times, PO Box 517, 52-56 Lower Stuart St, Dunedin. Email: editor@odt.co.nz
