Minister muddying waters with accusations of “junk science”

Minister muddying waters with accusations of “junk science”

24 February 2017
Forest & Bird says that Environment Minister Nick Smith’s claim that criticism of the government’s proposed swimming standard is based on “junk science”, doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

“It is the Minister’s defence of the new standard that has sown the most confusion,” says Forest & Bird’s Campaigns and Advocacy Manager Kevin Hackwell.

The government’s proposed changes to the National Policy Statement (NPS) on Freshwater Management more than doubles the maximum allowable amount of E.coli allowed in the highest grade of freshwater for swimming; from 260 E.coli / 100 mil to 540 E.coli / 100 mil.

Along with this increase, the chance of getting an infection while swimming when the water body is at that maximum level of E.coli, has risen from a 1 in 100 chance to a 5 in 100 chance.

The Minister has confused the debate by suggesting that critics of the proposed changes, have mixed up the present 'annual median' requirements with the new '95th percentile' requirements in the water standard tables in the NPS.

“This is not the case. It is clear that the many critics of the proposed policy, including Forest & Bird, have made a direct comparison of the present 95th percentile requirements, with the new proposed 95th percentile requirements,” says Mr Hackwell.

The “Human health for recreation; Lakes and rivers” tables from the proposed new National Policy Statement can be viewed here. The existing and proposed standards are highlighted.

The first table is the present standard and the second table is the proposed new standard.

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