There’s taonga in them thar waterways – and Maori will want lots of say in what happens to it

Taonga flowed from here into Ngai Tahu’s bank account.

As a keen observer of the country’s special people – the tangata whenua – Alf sensed there would be dissatisfaction among them about the government’s proposed water management reforms.

Sure enough, Radio NZ has reported the chair of Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu as saying (here)

…the proposed reforms to freshwater management do not do enough to protect the taonga itself.

A big neigh to wind farm plans

Those of us who are wary of windfarms can delight in the news that Contact Energy’s plan to build the biggest wind turbines in New Zealand have suffered a setback.

Electricity commissioners have turned down the company’s application to erect 65 of the turbines near Dannevirke, up the road from here in Eketahuna.

Among other things, the turbines would have scared the horses. Or so the objectors said.