‘There’s been no transparency’: Ruataniwha Dam protest outside meeting

Wise Water Use protesters outside Centralines on Ruataniwha Dam funding. Photo / Alexa Cook, RNZ

• Opponents of the Ruataniwha Dam protested outside a Centralines meeting over funding transparency concerns.
• Centralines committed $300,000 to the project, sparking claims of cronyism from protest group Wise Water Use.
• Centralines chair Fenton Wilson defended the investment, citing the dam’s growth potential for Hawke’s Bay.

By RNZ

Opponents of the controversial Ruataniwha Dam in Central Hawke’s Bay staged a surprise protest outside a Centralines meeting in Waipukurau discussing the use of trust beneficiaries’ money for the fast-tracked dam project.

The protest comes a month after Centralines trustee Tony Murphy resigned because the electricity distributor’s board put $100,000 towards a re-scope of the fast-tracked and rebranded Ruataniwha Dam, now called the Tukituki Water Security Project.

While the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council had already put $20 million towards the initial project, $3m in recent support has come via Regional Development Minister Shane Jones’ investment pathway.

The project seeks to flood 22ha of land to form a reservoir.

A 2017 Supreme Court case ruled against the dam on the grounds that protected conservation land could not be destroyed for development.

Hawke’s Bay power distributor Centralines is one of many sources of funding for the Ruataniwha Dam. It is comprised of a board, which makes operational decisions, and a trust that represents the public stakeholders.

The Makaroro River, on which the Ruataniwha Dam (rebranded as Tukituki Water Security Project) is to be constructed.

Trevor Le Lievre, a spokesperson for protest group Wise Water Use, told RNZ that Centralines had now committed $300,000 towards the controversial project.

“There’s been no transparency around this money. We believe it’s a case of cronyism, pure and simple. So we are here to send a message to the trust because the trust appoints the board and so have some sway over what the board does.

“We’re here to tell the trust to call the board in, hold them to account, rescind that decision on the $100,000 and act in the best interest of beneficiaries,” said Le Lievre.

However, Centralines board chair Fenton Wilson was confident there was no issue, and makes no apologies for supporting the dam.

“I welcome the strong views – from the company point of view we deal with what’s in front of us and there’s an opportunity to invest in a project that has real growth potential if it comes off.

“But we are not in this alone, businesses right across Hawke’s Bay are investing – the Government is investing. People have done their due diligence and it fits the growth potential with this business and this company,” he said.

Wise Water Use protestors and Centraline's Board Chair and Trustees in a discussion on Ruataniwha Dam funding. Photo / Alexa Cook, RNZ

The Central Hawke’s Bay Consumer Power trust chair Karen Middelburg told RNZ she has been listening to all of the community’s voices on the issue, including the protestors’ concerns.

“We’ve got a meeting now where we’ll discuss what they’ve brought to the table and we’ll certainly be passing that on to the board.

“But our role is certainly not to tell the board how to make financial decisions for the company – our role is to appoint the board to do that on our behalf,” she said.

Wise Water Use is vowing to keep protesting against the dam project and member Murray Rosser said it should not be allowed to proceed under the Government’s fast-track legislation.

“It’s such an outdated idea – it’s going to ruin the river and wreck a whole lot of environmental precious taonga.

“And it’s going to put money in the hands of a few people and others won’t get a dollar,” he said.