12 Dec 2019

Cooks water quality campaigners dismissed as extremists

From , 6:02 am on 12 December 2019

Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister Mark Brown is characterising opponents to the use of chlorine in Rarotonga's new water system as uninformed extremists.

The system, Te Mato Vai, is set to come on stream early next year but the government is facing a battle from locals opposed to chlorination.

This week, a petition against the use of chlorine was presented to the clerk of Parliament.

Launched in September by the NGO Te Vai Ora Maori, it garnered more than 1500 signatures.

Don Wiseman spoke with Mark Brown and began by asking him if the water system is on schedule.

Cook Islands Finance Minister Mark Brown

 Cook Islands Deputy Prime Minister, Mark Brown. Photo: Cook Islands News