Nash sacking another blow for inquiry

Stuart Nash, who is also the Napier MP, was sacked as Forestry Minister, after it was revealed he had emailed details of Cabinet discussions to two businessmen, who were also his donors, in 2020. Mr Nash and Environment Minister David Parker jointly announced the inquiry, which is now into its second week.

The sacking of Forestry Ministry Stuart Nash last night may have implications for the ongoing ministerial inquiry into land use in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa.

Mr Nash, who is also the Napier MP, was sacked as Forestry Minister, after it was revealed he had emailed details of Cabinet discussions to two businessmen, who were also his donors, in 2020.

Mr Nash and Environment Minister David Parker jointly announced the inquiry, which is now into its second week.

Mr Nash’s sacking is another setback for the inquiry.

Yesterday inquiry chair Hekia Parata announced that panel member Bill Bayfield had stood down from the three-person panel running the inquiry.

Ms Parata said Mr Bayfield acknowledged that entering into discussions with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, following their approach, regarding providing them with assistance in their recovery at the end of the inquiry, compromised his independence.

Newshub reported last night Mr Nash had also received donations from the wood industry.

“All my donations from the wood processing sector have been declared, so it’s not as if I’m hiding anything from the public at all,” he told Newshub.

However, the group responsible for a petition that led to Government ministers initiating the inquiry still has confidence in the process “despite a range of setbacks” to the inquiry. 

“We held concerns about Stuart Nash’s historical and recent advocacy for the industry,” said petition organiser Hera Ngata-Gibson. 

“He seemed unable to accept that forestry needs major changes in this region and we hope his replacement has a more objective perspective on the sector and where trees should be planted and harvested.

“Likewise we thought the inquiry panel needed an RMA lawyer, so we hope that can now happen with Mr Bayfield’s departure.” 

Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti was concerned the inquiry had been rushed and not all hearings had been open to the public, with some not involving all panel members. 

“If this had been a proper inquiry under the Inquiries Act the meetings would have been properly notified and open to the public unless there was a valid reason not to be, all panel members would have needed to be present for all hearings and the whole process would have been more robust,” Ms Ngata-Gibson said. 

“But we have to hope there is some value still and have confidence that regardless of how seriously the Government takes this process, we are making the most of it.”

Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti has recruited more than 100 volunteer researchers, including some based at universities overseas, to review hundreds of published scientific reports and public policy records. Another group of writers have been summarising the document reviews and using artificial intelligence to assist with the process. 

“The machines aren’t as good as humans at analysing and interpreting the papers, but given the time available, the AI processing has provided impressive summaries organised under key themes,” said Manu Caddie, who is helping coordinate the Mana Taiao submission. 

Mana Taiao Tairāwhiti received a number of papers written by experts for the group’s submission on topics including ways the Emissions Trading Scheme needs to change and likely impacts on forestry in Tairāwhiti, a history of the development of the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forests that sets the rules for forestry, a paper analysing the likely causes of the Mangahauini Gorge slip during Cyclone Gabrielle, and the impact of cyclones and different tree cover on erosion in Tairāwhiti.

The group has also been collecting victim impact statements, images and video of slash and silt damage through an online portal at tinyurl.com/slashstories