'About-face' on environment

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33060, 30 October 1972, Page 2

'About-face' on environment

(N.Z Press Association)

PALMERSTON NORTH, October 29.

The Labour Party spokesman for the environment, Mr J. A. Walding, said in Palmerston North yesterday that an announcement on Friday by the Minister for the Environment (Mr MacIntyre) on new conservation procedures was a “complete about-face by the Government.” Mr Maclntyre said new procedures would be implemented to ensure that decisions on major Government development projects were made in the light of their likely impact on the environment.

He said all departments promoting capital works would be responsible for preparing reports and assessments of the environmental impact of the projects, and must ensure that adequate provision was made to protect the environment.

Mr Walding said the announcement was a convincing denial of Mr Muldoon’s

statement that such a procedure was “completely impracticable.” However, it was a welcome step in the right direction, and a complete vindication of policies advocated by Labour for a long time, Mr Walding said. “I believe the Government should go even further and adopt Labour’s proposal to insist that all major projects, including those undertaken by local bodies and private enterprise, should also be the subject of environmental and social audits.

“They should be undertaken by an impartial body with the authority and resources to end thoughtless actions that in the past have needlessly desecrated so much of the country’s natural beauty,” Mr Walding said.