Editorial: Council wrong over oil spill

The health and beauty of the sea is important to the Western Bay.

It is one of the reasons why people love living here. It means they can enjoy the water around us however they choose.

But it is a sensitive issue because of the Rena grounding.

The disaster created an uproar, is our worst environmental disaster and is still causing a problem today.

Given this, I would have thought the public would be told about any oil spill involving ships in our port, harbour or out at sea.

Clearly, Bay of Plenty Regional Council thinks differently.

The Bay of Plenty Times yesterday reported there had been an oil spill involving the cargo ship Liloa last Wednesday. Oil spilled over the ship's deck and into the water during a refuelling accident. There was oil contamination in the water and contaminated sea grass was removed from Pilot Bay.

I am not suggesting this was a major oil spill but we don't know how much oil was lost because the council says it is still too early to know. I am struggling to see how it takes so long to work this out given the spill happened a week ago and the ship's crew has been interviewed.

This aside, the story at the moment is more about poor council communication.

Regional council chairman John Cronin knew nothing about it until we told him and Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby was also in the dark. Mr Crosby rightly says this is disappointing and the public should have been told.

Tauranga Moana Iwi Leaders' Forum chief Awanui Black says iwi should also have been told.

The regional council's communications team put a press release together about the spill, but did not send it out because no one had asked about the incident. But how are we supposed to know about it if they haven't told anyone?

The public should have been told about it and it makes us wonder what else the council is not telling us.

The council was wrong to keep this quiet even if it did not believe the spill posed a risk to community health and safety.

It is now reviewing how it notifies the public about spills. We will continue asking questions about this case in a bid to get all the answers because the public has a right know.