Speak up in flood debate

On the face of it, the issue of flood protection for Wanganui would appear to be something of a no-brainer.

The Whanganui River is undoubtedly our city's defining natural feature, but inevitably from time to time, it floods.

You would think then, that the bulk of the wider population would be in favour of flood protection.

However, it appears to be something of a fractious issue, certainly if some of the correspondence received by the Chronicle on the topic is anything to go by.

There's plenty of talk around where flood protection should be, what form it should take, and whether it is affordable.

There are even some who say the river shouldn't be interfered with at all.

It's because of this debate that hopefully many people will take the chance to respond to Horizons regional councillor Bob Walker's call for feedback on Stage 2 flood protection for our city.

Horizons has sent out newsletters asking Wanganui residents to have their say on whether the flood protection should go ahead, how quickly it should happen and how it should be paid for. The letter provides an option for those who don't want a Stage 2 at all, and also asks for alternative suggestions.

Wanganui Mayor Annette Main has urged residents to have their say, presumably not just because it's an important issue, but also because of the need for community involvement around the allocation of council funds and the risk presented to property through flood damage.

Mr Walker contends there is a need to avoid a repeat of the Stage 1 consultation process, when "people said they didn't want it, and it was rammed through". Yet, as the likes of the Christchurch earthquakes have shown us, Mother Nature is an unpredictable beast.

Her whims cannot be predicted, and so it would surely be foolhardy in the extreme to not take the best possible precaution around flood protection.

But issues around how that should be done and who should pay for it, are far more complex.

This is the chance for the members of our community to have their say. It would be a shame if apathy prevented that from occurring.

Feedback: editor@wanganuichronicle.co.nz