Plan Change 5 for Land and Freshwater Management
Change 5 was introduced by the Regional Council in 2012 to give effect to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater though new objectives and policies, and to lay the way for catchment plans, like the Tukituki Plan. Federated Farmers was mostly in support, however the wetland definition became an unexpected contentious point as it was subject to an appeal by Fish & Game.
Federated Farmers is now heading to an Environment Court hearing in 2017 opposing Fish & Game’s definition of wetland. We are gravely concerned that the correct consultation process has not been followed, and the definition will have a huge impact on farmers as wetland protection provisions could now apply to wet pasture.