The Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme was targeted for five years. Success at last. The death of the dam and a bleak future for CHB. A textbook campaign. And who or what is next in their sights?
Their campaign was unusual for Hawke's Bay. Our politicians have often been foolish and misguided but are usually well-meaning. Seldom in recent history have so few mustered, what I believe is, so much misinformation, some of it breathtaking in its audacity.
On February 13, 1973, the Acclimatisation Society rescued thousands of trout and eels from pools in the Tuki Tuki and Waipawa after the two rivers stopped flowing during the drought. This was before dairying, irrigation and global warming.
The Romans say that the RWSS's guaranteed year-round minimum flows of 5cu m per second constitute part of an "extraordinary environmental risk". Ecological science suggests it is an overwhelming environmental benefit.
How anyone could hold the contrary view in light of the evidence is beyond belief.
The Romans consider that the scheme will not provide economic growth throughout the region despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary from every similar scheme in the country. The Romans claim is that this scheme "merely underwrites irrigation water and capital gains for 200 CHB farmers". I believe this is inaccurate.
"The ratepayers of Hawke's Bay are getting a bill for $80 million."
The ratepayers will get a 6 per cent return on an investment of $80m and massive capital gains when they own the dam in 70 years' time.
The Port of Napier valued at $300m pays a dividend of $7.5m, returning less than 3 per cent. The port represents a higher risk for less return than the RWSS.
But the Romans aren't screaming about the bill for the port.
The taxpayer gives the film industry $300m in direct subsidies. Our regional councillors could point out to Wellington that the RWSS will do as much for the nation as taking on Hollywood. Instead they chew on the hand that feeds them.
The Green Brigade and the Romans are incensed by the DoC-proposed land swap. An inviolable principle is at stake. But a sizeable portion of Lake Hatuma has just been transferred from DoC to the tangata whenua without a murmur of protest from either of them. Double standards, anyone?
The most blatant political stunt of them all: In November 2014, councillors Beaven, Barker, Belford and Graham proposed an alternative to the RWSS.
Called "The Right Dam" it recommended actions to "actively support, including financially, farmers in the Tukituki catchment".
It recommended "building a dam on the Makaroro, much as presently proposed ... with storage capacity up to the amount originally proposed".
The Right Dam report to council said the advantages of their alternative dam proposal were amongst other things, "greater environmental benefits from significantly increased water flows in the Tukituki".
When asked when and why they had moved from qualified but strong support for the dam to total opposition, not one of the four provided any explanation or reason whatsoever.
In the 2016 election, these "Right Dam" advocates strongly campaigned against the dam.
Councillor Tom Belford advertised "Clear bottom lines : No dam in CHB".
Political ambition replaced leadership. Behaviour we thought was restricted to the Beehive came to Hawke's Bay.
These gentlemen promised accountability, open government and no more bulldozing by a tight gang of five councillors. The last bit is true. They now offer bulldozing from a gang of six.
May 31 is shaping up as a tragic day for Hawke's Bay.
If the province had seen a fair and measured debate, any decision of council would be accepted by all parties albeit somewhat unenthusiastically by some.
But the debate has not been rational or even-handed. It is my opinion that the self-styled Romans will bequeath a legacy of mistrust and betrayal to a big slice of the rural community regardless of what they decide.
Alexander Pope famously decreed that an honest man is the noblest work of God. On that score, the theological observer suspects history may be unkind to the Romans.
Tim Gilbertson is a farmer, former mayor of Central Hawke's Bay and former Hawke's Bay regional councillor. He was defeated by Rex Graham, Rick Barker and Tom Belford in the Hastings constituency in the Hawke's Bay Regional Council local elections last year. His column appears every fortnight on a Saturday. All opinions are his and not those of Hawke's Bay Today.
