9.7.10

Hi there,

Right now its still the Four Ms!  Mokihinui, Murchison, Matiri and Matakitaki!

The Mokihinui Hearing has finished and we lost!   Doc and Forest and Bird appealed.  But the appeal is on hold as Meridian arfe trying to bribe Doc with a "land deal". 

The Matiri hearing happened and again we lost!   There is still a DOC tribunal at which the general public gets its last chance to defend Lake Matiri from a private family hydro scheme!

The Matakitaki is under threat from an as yet unknown number of schemes from Network Tasman a local line company that wants to be one of the big boys and get into generation, regardless of the damage it will do to one of the best trout fishing rivers in New Zealand and  one of the network that has made Murchison one of the top ten White Water Destinations in the world. The scheme is on hold whilst NT try and decide if there is enough water in the river to make their scheme viable.  Meanwhile the company has decided to move into mining and is going to turn over their property on the Matakitaki to look for gold!!  Of the chase for the mighty dollar!

What can you do to help stop this mindless destruction of New Zealand's last free running rivers?

1.Make sure you make a submission to DOC about not having a private Family Hydro Scheme on a public amenity in the the entrance to the Kahurangi National Park!

2.Support the NZRCA by joining a club or joining directly.

3. Write letter to the Editor, hassle your Council and MPs.  Write to the PM.  He is the Minister of Tourism.   Hard to imagine Tourism without rivers!

4.Get involve.  Make submissions on local schemes.

5. Paddle the Matakitaki every chance you get.  Save it by using it!

Cheers

Mick