GDC regulatory system remains broken

John Kape

Opinion

Council had planned to discharge treated sewage on to Midway beach during the school holidays. This would have forced probable cancellation of a National Junior Surf competition planned for the pipe surfbreak.

There are a number of concerns with this discharge on to Midway beach.

The first is the lack of engagement with the most affected recreational groups. I would appreciate council answering why they did not engage the appropriate community groups, particularly the surfing community.

The second concern is that by law Lifelines should have submitted this discharge activity to council’s regulatory arm for independent environmental assessment. I would appreciate council confirming whether this is happening or not.

The failure initially to do this indicates council’s regulatory system continues to be broken, as evidenced by the years of failing to properly monitor forest harvest consents.

The third is the lack of evidence of environmental conditions on this discharge. Without these conditions the community can have no confidence council is protecting it.

Remember, this is treated sewage being discharged on to one of our most popular beaches. An engineer saying it’s all OK does not cut the mustard. Environmental conditions, testing and monitoring are needed.

I would appreciate if council could confirm what water quality testing is to be undertaken in the receiving environment and how the area will be returned to its natural state. That is water quality testing where this discharge is to take place, not 500 metres off shore by the pipe outfall or relying on Lawa testing at sites away from the proposed discharge.

This discharge on to the beach is a new activity. Council may argue it’s covered by the existing resource consent. By law that is simply not the case and a new consent should be applied for it, albeit retrospective.

To its credit, council moved the discharge date until after the junior surfing competition. This only happened after community concern was expressed.

The cracked outfall pipe arises from reasonably foreseeable maintenance issues compounded by the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle. This is not emergency work. Arguably, a lack of planning and lack of maintenance budget has led to the need for council to discharge treated sewage on to one of our most used beaches.

We now have decades of evidence that council’s track record on setting, monitoring and enforcing environmental conditions is appallingly bad, without appropriate checks and balances in place.

The Slash and Sediment Inquiry, for good reason, recommended an independent regulatory authority to address council’s poor track record in setting, monitoring and enforcing environmental conditions. Council cannot be relied on to regulate its own activities or those where it has a vested interest, including sewerage and forestry.

It is overdue time the regulatory responsibility is taken away from the Chief Executive and Mayor offices, both of which are politically compromised and have demonstrated they cannot protect the environment.

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