Scores of irrigators have told the Otago Regional Council the direction of its deemed permit overhaul will ‘‘destroy rural New Zealand’’. Twenty-one groups spoke at the council’s public forum yesterday about changes to its deemed permits process, which it has been instructed to undertake by Environment Minister David Parker. Deemed permit irrigators have been working towards next year’s deadline to replace mining water privileges with consents. This was necessary as Mr Parker refused to further extend deemed permit deadlines. Forest & Bird Otago and Southland regional manager Sue Maturin said deemed permits resulted in ‘‘adverse environmental effects since the late 1850s and ’60s’’.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 07, 2020 15:32 UTC