🇳🇿 New Zealand: Polluted Paradise PI | People & Power

Polluted Paradise, New Zealand (Part 1) - People and Power

New Zealand's pristine and abundant rivers and lakes have long been central to its proud reputation as a land of breath-taking natural beauty - and fundamental to a clean, green, outdoorsy brand that's used to attract millions of foreign visitors every year.

But are its waterways really as sparkling and bountiful as the tourist ads suggest?

It seems not.

Although the issue hasn't attracted huge global attention, for some years now campaign groups such as Greenpeace have been ringing alarm bells about the deteriorating quality - and curiously diminishing volume - of New Zealand's fresh water, problems they say are both directly attributable to the country's most profitable industry and in danger of being exacerbated by government-backed projects in support of that industry.

People & Power asked filmmaker Naashon Zalk to find out more. His two-part investigation, which we are screening over consecutive episodes, raises troubling questions about what can happen when a nation's desire for economic growth, however understandable and justifiable it may be, takes undue precedence over the environment.