From Manapouri to Aramoana

A National Government's refusal in 1972 to safeguard Lake Manapouri contributed to its election defeat that year. Since then, the power of the environmental movement has been felt in many other areas, while environmentalists themselves have been regarded by governments and large industries as enemies to "progress". Roger Wilson, a former national organiser for Friends of the Earth, surveys the environmental controversies of the past decade, a period in which many people came to realise that there must be an end to the smash and grab approach to New Zealand's resources. Issues such as nuclear power and the proposed aluminium smelter at Aramoana have shown that the future of the environment is not simply a matter of saving some isolated patches of scenery, but is linked with New Zealand's control of its own economy, civil liberties and jobs. Environmental groups have been leaders in pointing to development paths which will advnace these elements. From Manapouri to Aramoana is a record of their achievements.