Fined for wanting a clean river

The Environment Court's recent decision to impose court costs on Te Rangatiratanga o Ngati Rangitihi Inc for their appeal against Kawerau pulp mills consent for discharges of waste into the Tarawera River adds insult to injury, the Green Party said today.

"The tangata whenua who have stood up against this pollution have been unfairly fined for wanting to clean up and restore their damaged river," Green Party MP Catherine Delahunty said.

"The dumping of waste from pulp mills into the Tarawera River is a national disgrace and we should not impose costs on the people wanting to protect it."

Pulp mill waste has been pumped into the Tarawera River since 1955 with Te Rangatiratanga o Ngati Rangitihi Inc bringing the case to the Environment Court in 2009. They have now been ordered to pay $28,000 in court costs.

Ms Delahunty said that pulp mills have used the Tarawera River as a drain for long enough.

"The Environment Court has fined the tangata whenua for daring to say this discharge breaches Te Tiriti of Waitangi, has poisoned a food source, and undermined an ecosystem.

"When David fights Goliath the least the Courts could do is to recognise the integrity of the challenge, even if 'David' doesn't have the resources of the big corporates.

"The Crown should be compensating the iwi and hapu who have a relationship with the river for loss of their rights and relationships to it, not granting companies 25-year consents to pollute."