Rous County Council Chair Keith Williams. Photo David Lowe.
Since the Dunoon Dam was shelved, Rous County Council has put a new draft of the Future Water Project 2060 on public exhibition. They are currently seeking feedback from people living in the four constituent councils of Richmond Valley, Byron, Ballina and Lismore.
In part two of this two part series,
The Echo sat down with Rous Chair Keith Williams to dig into the detail, and address some of the controversy around the future of water in the Northern Rivers.
Your opponents are currently attacking recycled water using quite inflammatory language. Is this damaging the prospects of success of projects like Perradenya, which some of these people have previously publicly supported?
2 hours ago
Grant Robertson spoke to The AM Show about China amongst other topics. Credits: Video - The AM Show; Image - Getty.
Comments from New Zealand s Foreign Affairs Minister last week sparked outrage in the United Kingdom and Australia, with concern Aotearoa isn t taking a strong enough line against China.
Over recent months, New Zealand has been criticised for not being party to some Five Eyes statements on human rights abuses in China. Instead, Aotearoa has often released its own or joined with Australia in commenting.
On Monday last week, Nanaia Mahuta said the Five Eyes wasn t always the most appropriate group to comment on human rights issues and she was uncomfortable with expanding its remit to non-security matters.
With several of New Zealand s partners taking increasingly aggressive stands against China, there have been calls for Aotearoa to step up its response and join more Five Eyes statements on Beijing s interference in Hong Kong and treatment of the Uighurs in Xinjiang. That s despite New Zealand joining statements in the past and releasing some independently and with Australia.
China is New Zealand s largest trading partner, with two-way trade worth $33 billion. It has been suggested Wellington is biting its tongue so not to risk economic retaliation similar to what Australia has seen over the last year.
Appearing on Newshub Nation on Saturday, Mahuta was asked if she is prioritising cash and trade over humanity and ethics.