Profile Statement
Regional councils face challenging times as we move into a new era of greater emphasis on sustainable resource management. Having served on Environment Waikato’s Catchment and Pest Management Advisory Committee’s for eight years, including five years as chairman, I have the experience to represent you as councillor.
In the current economic climate there is a need to ensure rates are realistic and affordable whilst paying heed to EW’s responsibilities that are set down in law regarding integrated resource management, along with the increasing expectations that our land-use activities are sustainable and have minimal impact on our environment. This will require careful, informed decision making to ensure we get the balance right in order that we continue to prosper and grow as a region.
Our regional economy is hugely reliant on farming in particular, and for this to continue EW needs to work closely with industry participants in an effort to ensure the solutions to our environmental challenges are practical, sensible and above all effective. Clean water and healthy soil are vital not only for the future of agriculture, but the community as a whole.
A vibrant and healthy economy will ensure we have the resources to protect and enhance our region’s native biodiversity. We are lucky in New Zealand to have such a vast abundance of natural resources, some of which have high economic value, whilst others are valued for other reasons, such as their aesthetic or recreational values. We need to ensure that our natural heritage is managed appropriately for future generations.
I am a Cambridge farmer, with dairy graziers, sheep and forestry, and enjoy a keen interest in tramping, kayaking and reading.
rity I stand for... • A Vibrant and Healthy Economy • Community Partnerships • Sustainable Farming Systems • Informed Decision Making • Biodiversity Enhancement • Common Sense Approach Authorised by Stu Kneebone, Baker Road, RD4 Cambridge.
Top 5 Issues
- A Vibrant and Healthy Economy
- Freshwater Management
- Sustainable Farming Systems
- Biodiversity Enhancement
- Community Partnerships
Personal Profile
Environment Waikato Experience
Catchment Advisory Committee since 2002 (Chairman since 2005)
Catchment Services Committee since 2008
Upper Waikato Flood Hydrology Project Control Group 2008 - 2010
Pest Advisory Committee since 2005
Community Experience
Foundation member of Whitehall Community Possum Control Scheme (1998). Chairman since 2002.
Past president of Waikato Tramping Club (2007 - 09)
Interests
Tramping, recreational kayaking (the sea and lakes) and the outdoors in general.
Most of my spare time finds me tramping around NZ, and I usually try and get to the Sth Island for a weeks tramping every summer.
I'm an avid reader.
Authorised by Stu Kneebone of 271 Baker Road R D 4 Cambridge 3496
Questions answered by Stu Kneebone
Question
Stu Kneebone's Reply
Management of freshwater. Both allocation and quality need addressing.
The Waikato region is today consuming ten times the amount of freshwater than it did twenty years ago. This sort of growth is clearly not sustainable, and we therefore need to ensure we have effective mechanisms in place to manage the allocation of freshwater, with a view to ensuring the needs of people, municipal, stock drinking and renewable electricity generation are sufficiently met, and that additional takes are managed in a fair and appropriate way.
The quality of our freshwater is in constant decline, and while we know the fundamental reasons behind this decline, the solutions are far from straightforward.
Despite the current negative publicity surrounding “dirty dairying”, point source discharges are under reasonable control, and I am confident that the next few years will see significant improvements in compliance, along with land user acceptance of increasing public expectations regarding this issue.
Non point discharges and diffuse nutrient losses however, present quite a different challenge altogether. I’m confident that the agricultural industry will get a good handle on managing this, but it won’t happen overnight. Constructive collaboration between science, agriculture, and the community will be essential as we move forward on this issue, with a view of ensuring that the inevitable concessions that all parties will have to make, meet expectations.
The inevitable setting of standards for the state of our waterbodies, along with a timeframe for achieving these standards will require informed debate by all parties, and may well require instruments such as a NPS to guide those charged with achieving the desired outcome.
Clean fresh water is vital, both for humans and livestock. Ignoring the continual decline of our freshwater quality is simply not an option. One thing is certain, the need for change has never been more certain.
Happy to provide more detail if you require.
Stu Kneebone
Ph 07 8273079
Awaiting response
check out other candidate's answers
- 2010
Waikato Regional Council - Waipa-King Country Constituency
Results - Final
- Russell Rimmington
- 7770
- Stu Kneebone
- 7604
- John Fisher
- 6217
- Doreen de Haan
- 4671
Stu Kneebone
