A call-in means that instead of the proposal being heard by a hearing panel of independent commissioners, it is called in by the minister to be heard by a board of inquiry or the Environment Court.
On Wednesday, Waipā's Strategic Planning and Policy Committee agreed Waipā District Council should also ask the minister to call the proposal in.
The councils’ group manager district growth and regulatory services, Wayne Allan, said given the huge community interest in the proposal, the decision-making process needed to be clear, consistent, and as easy as possible for the community to navigate.
“We don’t want to have one hearing process running while [the regional council] advocates for something else. Having just one process that both entities support will be far less confusing,” Allan said.
“That’s really important given nearly 600 submitters have advised us they want to have their say and speak to their submission when the time comes.”
In his letter to the minister on behalf of the council, Allan advocated for a board of inquiry to be held in Te Awamutu and elected members supported that.
“If the minister agrees to accept the requests from both councils and make a direction to call in this application, Waipā would like to strongly advocate for the board of inquiry process.
“A board of inquiry process is less confronting than the Environment Court for our lay-community submitters and is less likely to require lawyers - and their additional cost - for our submitters.
“Most importantly, it could be held locally - Te Awamutu being our preference, given 575 submitters advise they wish to be heard. This is a position strongly supported by Waipā's elected members.”
If the call-in is declined, the process will revert back to a joint hearing panel of independent commissioners appointed to hear the resource consent application.
For more information including a series of questions and answers, visit tinyurl.com/taenergyplantinformation.
Following Waipā District Council’s decision to call in the application, two community groups that oppose the plant, have welcomed the news.
Don’t Burn Waipā spokesman Eoin Fitzpatrick said calling in the application was a good thing.
“A similar incinerator application in the Waimate District had already been called in. That application would be heard in the Environment Court.
“If our application also goes to the court, a consistent approach to both applications can be made. The factors that influenced the minister to call in the Waimate proposal also apply here so we are optimistic of the outcome even though we now have a different government and minister.”
The Zero Waste Network said they also “strongly support the decision” of both councils to ask the minister to call in the application.
Zero Waste Network spokeswoman Sue Coutts said the message of the community had been clear.
“People don’t want landfills or incinerators in their neighbourhoods. They are both toxic disposal options. People want real solutions to waste and this means reduction at the source, along with a shift to reuse and repair.”
Don’t Burn Waipa will hold a public meeting on February 21, from 6.30pm at the Te Awamutu Library.
Fitzpatrick said the purpose of that meeting was to educate the community about what the group was doing to oppose the application and what to expect at the Environment Court.
“We also need to raise money for the upcoming hearings where we may need to bring in experts and lawyers to support our position.”
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