Mount Maunganui's air quality is something actively being worked on by a specific working party, which is keen for greater Government involvement. Photo / NZME
Mount Maunganui's air quality is something actively being worked on by a specific working party, which is keen for greater Government involvement. Photo / NZME
A working party established to help improve Mount Maunganui's air quality has called on the Government to join its next meeting tomorrow because the complex issues it faces "are not going to be resolved at a local or regional level".
And it appears the plea has been heard, with Ministryfor the Environment (MfE) representatives expected to attend via video link.
The request was brought up as part of an update on the Mount Maunganui Industrial Airshed at a Bay of Plenty Regional Council Monitoring and Operations Committee meeting yesterday.
In a letter to the ministry, Mount Maunganui Air Quality Working Party chairman Graeme Marshall and regional council chief executive Fiona McTavish invited the ministry to attend its next meeting, which had been postponed from August.
The letter stated the issues faced in the airshed required a collective effort from central, regional and local government, "however, none of the MfE team have yet been able to make a meeting in person and we understand that there have been questions about whether MfE should be participating in what could be seen as a local issue".
Marshall and McTavish said in the letter the ministry's presence may answer the many questions people had and help to mitigate any concerns "that this is a local issue" and help to progress solutions. They also said, "MfE's participation in this work is critical."
"Most importantly, you will appreciate that many of the issues being faced in the airshed are complex and have been generations in the making. These are not going to be resolved at a local or regional level."
In the committee meeting, councillor Stacey Rose asked what interest the ministry had shown regarding involvement with the working party.
Committee chairman Kevin Winters responded, expressing disappointment in saying that no one from the ministry had personally attended any working party meeting yet.
"... They need to front up and face our community face to face," Winters said.
Ministry director of natural and built systems Jo Gascoigne told the Bay of Plenty Times it will meet with the working party tomorrow.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Monitoring and Operations Committee chairman Kevin Winters. Photo / NZME
The attendance follows previous ministry presence via video conference and an in-person attendance of a hui at Whareroa Marae to discuss the community's concerns regarding air quality.
"We have a limited ability to attend meetings in person and generally try to attend meetings via video conference, where possible, as we remain mindful of our carbon footprint," Gascoigne said.
The ministry appreciated the working party's concerns and it was happy to help the party develop its plans, she said.
