Wellington, June 4 NZPA - The Government's new environmental protection agency (EPA) -- which will take over the nation's genetic-engineering regulator and be expected to protect our oceans from seabed mining catastrophes -- may turn out to be a toothless tiger, critics say.

By Kent Atkinson of NZPA Wellington, Feb 9 NZPA - The Government plans to give water storage and irrigation projects a shot in the arm, and later this year will reduce regulatory "roadblocks" constraining the sector in Canterbury.