Re?: Government document on ‘Next Steps for Freshwater'. How cleverly MP Nick Smith's weasel words bamboozle the public. Question 1.1 on page 40 says: ‘Amend Objective A2 ..etc.. to within a ‘freshwater management unit' rather than within a ‘region'.

For the public's information, freshwater is managed within a ‘region', and the region is based on water catchment areas under the Local Government Act reorganisation in 1989. The regional councils set policy and management of freshwater and that must comply with the National Policy Statement.

The public need to know the proposed ‘freshwater management unit' will be defined by tribal interests rather than the existing regional catchment boundaries.

Should this change succeed, it will add another layer of consultation, many new jobs and a lot of money which will ultimately be funded by the ratepayer.

MJ Anderson, Pyes Pa.