Promises on Clutha protection doubted

Press, 13 July 1984, Page 2

Promises on Clutha protection doubted

Wellington reporter The Coalition for Open Government has criticised Government promises to protect the lower Clutha River from flooding by hydro dams as being the same promise it had made in 1972 and had since broken. A commitment to protect orchards and farms in the lower Clutha had been given by the Minister of Energy, Mr Birch. "National broke its 1972 commitment only four years later, and we hope it keeps this one," said Mr Keith Johnston for the coalition. In 1972, the first report on options for damming the upper and lower Clutha had been released and the then Minister of Electricity, Mr Gandar, had said he supported the proposals that had the lowest dams. Mr Gandar had promised that possible variations aimed at reducing the extent of the flooding would also be investigated. Mr Johnston said that four years later the Government had proceeded with upper Clutha scheme F, which was among the more damaging schemes rejected by Mr Gandar in 1972. While Mr Birch’s promise was heartening, similar preelection commitments had been broken in the past, said Mr Johnston.