Forest & Bird happy concerns were heard

A decision from yesterday's High Court review regarding the land swap has been made to pave the way for the Ruataniwha dam

A decision from yesterday's High Court review concerning the land swap made to pave the way for the Ruataniwha dam could come as early as Christmas.

Forest & Bird sought the review earlier this year following the decision made by Department of Conservation's (DOC) director general Lou Sanson to swap 22ha of the Ruahine Forest Park for 170ha of land the Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company (HBRIC) will potentially buy from Smedley Station.

F&B lawyer Sally Gepp told Hawke's Bay Today that Justice Matthew Palmer was aiming to get a decision out by Christmas.

"Certainly he was mindful that HBRIC are seeking a decision by February."

Following the hearing, Ms Gepp said it was good to be in front of a judge who seemed to fully grasp the issues of the case.

"F&B is certainly very happy that we have been listened to and that the points have been well traversed," she said.

In court, the group yesterday argued about how appropriate and legal it was under the conservation act to revoke the status of specially protected land in order to get it into the category of land that can be exchanged under the Act

"And if that decision wasn't lawful then the land exchange that is needed for the Ruataniwha dam to happen would as a consequence not have been lawful either," she said, adding the respondents argued in opposition of this.