Nationals EPA is stealing our democracy

King Salmon are applying to the new Environmental Protection Agency to create nine new salmon farms in the marlborough sounds, under the present district plan this would be impossible, because Eight of the companies proposed farms were in a zone where the plan stated marine farming was prohibited,  but this is a National goverment hell bent on stealing our democrocy and walking all over local communities wishes while handing out free passes to there rich mates to pollute and destroy our environment.

Last term National set up the Environmental Protection Agency, basically because going around sacking local councils like they did with Environment Canterbury to free up water rites for there farmer mates is not a big vote winner. The name Environmental Protection Agency is just marketing spin, as the Environmental Protection Authorities job isn't concerned with protecting the environment in-fact it's not even given the task or the responsibility, of protecting the environment. It's just a rubber stamping authority chaired by another National party lackey Kerry Prendergast who was a candidate for the National Party in a not too distant general election.

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The EPA is able to basicly do what National did with the canturbury district council by stealth and override our district plan without having to sack the council, "Environmental undemocratic distruction Agency" would be a more accurate name.

So this is what we are up against people, the game is rigged, we will have to fight even harder to stop this overseas owned and controlled company getting free access to pollute and occupy our recreational waters.

Kia kaha

King salmon

I'm here because the Key government has changed the rules, we now have an Environmental Protection Agency or EPA which they basically copied from the US, lets face it this government haven't had an original idea in three years why start now, the EPA is nothing more than a way of walking over councils and local people, this from Nick Smiths Annual Rotary Speech.

From Nicks Speech:

"King Salmon has long held ambitions to expand their marine farms in the Marlborough Sounds. It means more jobs, more exports and more wealth in our region. The previous RMA provisions effectively blocked any new marine farms. The EPA is now considering King Salmon’s application under our aquaculture and RMA reforms and a decision will be made this year."

It should read King Salmon want a license to pollute, pay minimum wages, and export there profits along with their dyed salmon overseas.

Nicks speech:

"There are three major issues on the agenda in the next phase of RMA reforms.

The first is addressing delays in medium sized projects. The Act is now working better for the small, non-notified consents and for the really big projects, but I still get a lot of criticism about delays for subdivisions, new factories, and new commercial buildings. The next phase of the reforms will set a statutory timeframe of six months for processing medium sized consents."

Basically Nick is saying that we need to get on with destroying the rest of our environment so his mates can make more money.

Nicks speech:

"The second is the strengthening of requirements for councils to consider natural hazards, a deficiency exposed in the wake of the Christchurch earthquakes. The science of liquefaction and the areas that were vulnerable to it were clearly identified by 1990; yet major new subdivisions were approved in the eastern suburbs without any consideration of this risk."

Nicks trying to make out he really cares here by saying nothing, "strengthening of requirements" leaky housing was one of the last National governments legacy's, which Nick was part of by the way.

"The third key issue is simplifying the planning framework. We’ve got too many different planning documents and the processes for developing and changing them are complex, bureaucratic and expensive. This work is important to improving both the environment and economy and is the most difficult of my challenges ahead. "

Nick you mean the environment in regard to those pesky local people standing in the way of your mates faceless companies and corporations.

We know these farms are unsustainable, hell it takes more than three kilos of wild fish to produce the feed for just one kilo of farmed salmon, not to mention the threat of disease that has devastated salmon farms in many countries, but Nick knows best people, low paid jobs and profits for his mates overseas owned companies are all that matters.

160lb Club

A little cooler the last couple of days and as my Brighter future still hadn't arrived I thought I may as well go hunting as only fools and horses work remember.

Up early let the Dogs off and away we go keeping the moles on the heal as they have been trying to catch the odd deer lately, it hasn't dawned on them that they never will, anyway got to a spot where I though a pig might be hanging out then I let Lu&Ming walk on keeping Puk my new bitch with me, Puk is a bit of a meat head and is having trouble staying away from the sharp end on the pigs but holds hard, anyway sitting on the ridge watching the dogs working on the tracker they where about 300 meters away now so I thought I had better get after them 5 minutes later I here barking, didn't sound like a deer bark, so I let Puk go and I off after her, I heard her arrive because then bailing reached a higher pitch, the dogs seemed to have a good bail going but no squealing, then silence, I was moving fast as I worry about Puk getting ripped, the dogs started up again in the next gut, off I go flat out down into the gut the dogs are being chased around by a big black boar, as usual Puk is going in for a hold then she lets out a yelp as the boar gets a tusk into her shoulder she backs off, then the boar is chasing the other two dogs around they are bailing hard out right in it's face, the pig stands side on right in front of me and takes a 357 slug in the shoulder, down he goes.

The boar weighed 167lb and how do I know, well I cut him into 4 pieces and relayed him home over 5 hours so I could weigh him, but from now on they will be getting boned out on sight as my back can't take to much more of todays carry on, unless they are by the track or look over 200lb of-course. 

Size does matter Boys

I made the mistake of going hunting yesterday morning seems the dogs wanted to torture me and I have been feeding them well, the bloody mongrel bitches lead me on a merry chase, all the way to resolution bay vier the top ridge, sadists the three of them.

The guests where arriving after lunch and  believe me I was feeling a little shagged when they arrived, a couple of tulip munchers and nice enough (thanks Guy&Liesbeth). 

After dinner and a couple of wines I said, "how about I take you fishing in the morning", "we will at-least catch our lunch!" Well as you can see it wasn't a light lunch.

Hey if any of you fishermen out there start bragging about the big one that got away around here, be warned I have pictures of mine BOYS, and sorry size does matter!

100lb + Club

Very happy with the dogs they found and held this pig this morning, great way to start the New Year.  

Rain drops keep falling on my head

Went into town yesterday (Picton) to drop my Woofa's off and cast my vote, (go the Greens), not the best forecast for a trip to town, a storm warning in force, the yacht got knocked down at the mouth of the inlet and I suspect the woofa's would have been checking the undies before they boarded their bus, this leads nicely onto my next subject.

I don't go to town much, people everywhere you know, but there's a new show in town, when I first saw this contraption thoughts of 'Doctor Who' sprang to mind and when I got closer I heard a voice from inside, "some new amusement ride" I thought, well I was half right it turns out this is the new Electro Lu. 

There was a guy waiting out-side, I said, "we could be waiting a while" he said crossing his legs, "I hope not", the door opened, someone came out looking a bit flustered, the man entered what I thought was the women's side (there are two doors) but on closer inspection it turns out the Electro Lu is unisex (equality gone mad), the other door opened so in I go, the Lu started talking to me in an American accent and as the yanks seem to talk the most crap it was kind of fitting, "please lock the door" he said (maybe the girls get a women's voice), you push a button that glows to lock the door, if this button is still working next time I go to town I will go he, the yank tells me I have ten minutes, "then what I think?", will it call the police, maybe the door will just fly open, maybe it's an ejector Lu that shoots you out into Picton harbor once your times up, looking around I notice a space in the wall great idea the urinal doubles as a hand basin now that's a space saver, I suspect the girls never gave it a thought till now and may never wash there hands again, rain drops keep falling on my head starts playing while I'm thinking the urinal could be a struggle for the vertically challenged.

I was there for the number two's tho, but there's was a metal door laying on the seat, someone had jimmied open the toilet paper dispenser and to be honest who could blame them, this thing would be better described as a paper shredder, so after helping myself to 30 meters of paper I closed the door and sat down I had a slight problem the door to the toilet paper dispenser wouldn't stay shut and was laying in my lap! I don't know about you but I found having a cold stainless steel door laying in my lap while sitting on the Lu kind of annoying, plus I am the hands free type or should that be, head in the hands type, either way having to reach out to hold this door closed with my hand one cheek being off the seat, was just asking for trouble, I had an idea, I set about stuffing my bag through the handicap handle to hold the metal door closed, the clock was ticking folks as I sat there listening to rain drops keep falling on my head picturing myself flying through the air into the Picton harbor.

Pork-Chop's

My old mate Pork-chop asked me out for a hunt this morning, "sure," I said, great chance to get my pups some more experience, "meet you at the punga cove saddle at 5.45am then," he said.

The alarm went off 4am, I must be mad I thought, can't be, if I was mad I wouldn't be thinking I must be mad would I, kettle on and a few stretches for my 39 year old body, quick breakfast and out to let the dogs off, they where even looking at me like I had put the clock back 2 hours at daylight saving, "come on you lazy mongrels we are going to meet uncle Pork-chop".

Getting around out the sounds is a little different than the city, no public transport, infact no roads in the inlet. I pushed the dingy out with the dogs wiping the sleep out of there eyes, 25 minates later I was across the inlet at punga cove with the dingy on shore, up the hill on foot to the saddle where porkchop picked me up, we head for one of his old hunting spots.

We pile on the four wheeler and up the hill we go with the dogs Brin, Muzza, Mr Mo, kudda and my two girls Ming&Lu close behind, we left the bike and started walking up the hill, a couple of the dogs away tracking something, so I was sent by Pork-chop to bring the bike down and around to the next property while he went up and around the ridge.

20 minutes later I could see the dogs on my GPS tracker about 500 meters away up the hill, then heard barking, more barking and bailing now, off I go up the hill on the bike, stopped and could see ming was close by so called her, she walked onto the track with a deep rip in her back leg and another to her other leg, that one just missed her tendon (male wild pigs have tusks and are quick to use them on a dog given the chance) the barking up the hill had stopped I hoped the pig hadn't given Porkchop the slip, unlikely as not much gets past him, (there's a rumor he even sleeps with one eye open), anyway after inspecting Mings rips off I go up the hill with her on the back of the bike, around the corner here's Porkchop and the rest of the Dogs walking towards me, Chop is covered in blood, "how did you get on," I said. "Got a good boar up around the corner," he said, (meaning he had stuck the pig with a knife and killed it) so up we go and there laying on the track is Mr Boar (pick below on the bike 120lb boar).

Down on the beach we cleaned and stapled up Mings rips (she is now lying by the fire). So all in all a great day apart from Ming getting ripped, but a good lesson for her, she is a smart dog and will give Mr Boar a bit more respect in the future.

Thanks Porkchop, another great day in the sounds.

                              Brin & Mr Boar

                              PorkChop