Nine members of the Waiau Rivercare Group gave a 30-minute submission to the environment select committee about their concerns regarding the Waiau River.
The group had originally hoped to give its submission to the committee last August but Covid-19 delayed it until yesterday.
The members could have done it by video last year but wanted to appear in person.
They range in age from primary school children to the inaugural founding chairmen of the group.
The group has been going since early 2019, when it became an incorporated society.
It was formed to protect the Waiau River and keep the community informed of its progress.
Yesterday, it outlined its concerns that much of the river’s water was diverted to be used by Meridian Energy at the Manapouri power station.
One of the group’s founding chairmen, Peter Horrell, told the committee the group was aware the river would never return to a river pumping through 500 cumecs, but he hoped some middle ground could be found so all interested parties could work together to satisfy all needs for the river.
Hauroko Valley Primary School pupil Tomas Clarke spoke of how the river was part of people’s lives every day.
Tuatapere’s Waiau Area School had two pupils speak.
Malakai Mangion asked the committee members not to forget about the river or local children in their decision-making on legislation concerning the waterway.
His schoolmate Oli Abbott said he wanted to do something now so future generations could look back on the group which travelled yesterday and how they had worked hard for the Waiau River community and its future.
