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Working to improve water quality and ecosystem health

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On Thursday 5 September, Environment Minister David Parker will release a package of  Essential Freshwater policy proposals for consultation.

The Government will release a discussion document setting out proposals  to improve the health of our freshwater.  This will be in the form of a new National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM), proposed National Environmental Standards for freshwater and wastewater, and amendments to the National Environmental Standard for Sources of Human Drinking Water.

You might recall that in April this year MfE released Environment Aotearoa 2019 (EA2019), in conjunction with Statistics New Zealand. This comprehensive report on the state of our environment shone a light on the most critical environmental issues facing New Zealand. The report showed the way we currently live and make a living is having a serious impact on our environment.

The Government’s key priorities include protecting our environment and transitioning New Zealand to a sustainable, low emissions future.

To address some of the issues raised in EA2019, and to help achieve the Government’s priorities, we are proposing changes to rules and regulations to improve the way we manage our freshwater, highly productive land, urban and built environments, waste and hazardous substances.

Policy consultations - roadshow

We want New Zealanders’ views on these proposals. 

From Monday 9 September to Friday 27 September, staff from the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry for Housing and Urban Development and the Ministry for Primary Industries will conduct public meetings, hui with iwi/Māori, and meetings with local government in over 20 towns and cities. For dates and locations of the meetings, which will provide information on the proposals covered by the five consultations, go here: www.mfe.govt.nz/roadshow.

The events can also be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ministryfortheenvironment/

Please share our events with your networks.

More information

Discussion documents and further information will be  available on the MfE website: https://www.mfe.govt.nz/more/consultations.  Information on the Essential Freshwater proposals will be on the website from about midday on Thursday 5 September.

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