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Auckland public meeting

Thursday 2 November

Waste policy

Waste levy

There is likely to be some kind of levy (though no decision has been made) but the levy is trying to fund things rather than change behaviour.
There are doubts about whether waste levies actually change behaviour. Should we be levying or focusing on changing behaviour?
EnviroWaste opposes local levies as all their work crosses territorial authority boundaries. If there was a waste levy, EnviroWaste want a national levy.
There is a lot of detail about how to work out a waste levy. What about the waste produced from recycling initiatives? Should they be charged? There is a lot of detail to be thought through and discussed with affected parties before going ahead.
Does MfE have a preference regarding local or national levies?

Biosolids

It is not possible to reduce the amount of biosolids because they are a different type of waste.
Do biosolids get included in a waste levy on waste going to landfills?
There was a suggestion that biosolids need an exemption while markets are developed and trade waste issues are worked out. There was some disagreement about whether an exemption was necessary.
Industry and stakeholders should work together and present a solution to a select community.

Education and information

Education and hands-on support programmes are important ways to reduce waste. Sustainable Management Fund (SMF) funding should be used to support such programmes.
Need to focus on mainstream, everyday behaviour change - large scale change across the board.
Consumer education is needed, as well as positive financial incentives.

Product stewardship

Product stewardship should be voluntary with “backstop” legislation for difficult and/or priority wastes.
There is support for a container deposit and/or a product stewardship approach that involves a change at the beginning of the supply chain.

Recycling, reuse and community

How much research and development goes in to looking for different ways to deal with priority wastes? For example looking at the design upfront, reviewing options and investigating end markets etc.
What is happening with tyres and glass?
Market fluctuations can affect demand and lead to stockpiling.
How do we deal with the importation issue (i.e. aluminium alloy cans)?
Customers should require retailers to take packaging back.

General comments

It may be good to have some money available for market development.
The waste framework needs further development.
Are there solutions for construction and development waste? Clean fills are filling up.
How does construction and demolition waste affect developers?

National Environmental Standards

Water

A national policy statement on water is important to ensure integrated water management.
Central direction is needed on water as local government is not dealing with it well.
National standards should be introduced on waste water.
Better source standards are needed to provide clarity for industry.
No catchment analysis is being undertaken on Waiheke Island.
Drinking water from roofs needs to be managed in relation to Legionnaires’ disease. The Ministry of Health looks after this.

Contaminated land

The proposed contaminated land standard was not well received last year.
A broad framework and submission process is now underway. Soil guideline values have not worked in the United Kingdom. The soil guideline value approach is not clear.

Infrastructure

The proposal for new power lines raises a number of questions. Should houses be located under power lines? Should early childhood centres be under power lines? Are we being responsible? Transpower’s proposed power line from Auckland to Waikato is a hot topic.
New Zealand has no government policy on electromagnetic fields (EMF). A policy statement is needed.

Air quality

A better standard of drafting is needed. The air standards are very loosely worked and defined. The discussion paper contradicts the standard – it states that the standards will apply where people reside but this concept is not included in the wording of the standards.
There is uncertainty about how the standard applies.
The background document on the air quality standards is too long.
There are issues with whether the air quality standards apply and what they apply to.

General

The aim of National Environmental Standards should be to reduce planning resources.
Subsidies should be provided for solar water heating.
Good science is needed to support standards.
It can be difficult to set national standards that allow for national diversity. There is a risk that national standards will be set at the lowest common denominator. A carrot and stick approach is needed. Benchmark levels should be set nationally, with the ability for districts or regions to set stricter standards to allow for regional variation. If science changes then the standard can be changed via a gazette notice.
It is good to have national guidance and one set of rules across the country, rather than lots of different regional council plans and rules. Some things are more appropriate for central government to deal with nationally.
We need to take away the fear factor in relation to implementing and imposing standards so business can actually use these to promote their business. Buyers are increasingly aware of the environmental-friendliness of products. Good support and assistance from government is needed. In the UK there are tax incentives.
Write offs and tax breaks should be provided for investment in research and development.
Money needs to be spent upfront for long term benefits. Introduce incentives/tax-breaks first and use that to create buy-in before the standards come out. Incentives need to be staggered to encourage continual improvement.
Standards should be reviewed as a stand alone document and a legal interpretation sought to ensure they are clearly written.
Standards should be tested against a real example.
One problem is technical/legal documents contradicting the plain language version. Another problem is that people rely on a document that has no legal basis.
The clearer standards are written, the better.
A national policy statement should include background information and refer to the standards.
The standard is one of many documents lawyers need to refer to (including regional plans, policies, strategies etc) so keep it simple.
Case studies would be helpful.
The Otorohonga District Plan is very well written.
The structure and language of NZ statutes that came out recently was very clear and easy to follow.
Statutes and standards should be living documents and renewed regularly.
In the UK, the system of integrated pollution control is generally understood.
We allow too much debate on standards.

Water

National Environmental Standards

We need clear environmental standards around water.
Will the new standard take climate change into account? The standard needs to be monitored regularly and monitoring requirements need to change with weather conditions.
People need to believe in why they are following standards.
Standards are needed so that people can aspire to them. There needs to be incentives to meet the standards and/or penalties for not meeting them. The standards need to be enforceable.

Education and information

People need to be educated about the true value of water. There is too much wastage due to the “consumer culture”.
Education should be in terms of treating water as a taonga. Water is a national capital.
More positive examples and stories need to be used to promote water sustainability, especially on farms.
People need to understand the true value of water and how to best use it. Then they will comply.

Water allocation and usage

Allocation of water should be: 1. Cultural 2. Environmental 3. Community then 4. Industrial uses.
If every individual took greater responsibility (for example for a 5% reduction in water usage) this would have a massive impact.
Water users need to be responsible for ensuring there is no further degradation in water quality.

Climate change

Education and information

It is important to involve the community.
Councils need guidance and education.
There is a strong need for leadership from central government. The Stern report is getting a message across at a high level.
The ‘Stern’ report was welcomed because it put a monetary figure on the long term costs of climate change. There is a need for a scaled-down estimate for New Zealand. This should be included in the next state of the environment report.
There is a desire for a national environmental statement from DOC and MfE on the need for education.
Information is needed on government policies and the value of possible sink credits.
Education is needed on likely future scenarios, for example what it is likely to be like in 2050, 2100 etc.

Legislation and regulation

There is a need for a national policy statement to help guide local government so there is consistency.
The New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement does not consider climate change adequately.
Central government needs to consider the capacity and capability of local government when implementing policy.

Adaptation and mitigation

Should New Zealand look at recycling waste water?
There is huge scope for dual plumbing and solar heating.
Housing is important for adaptation and also has large role in reducing emissions. The increased communication around the impact and risks of climate change in the last 18 months is appreciated.
What is a likely sea level rise and what will the key impacts be on Auckland infrastructure such as port and highways? Do major infrastructure projects include an assessment of climate change risks?
Design standards need to be introduced and existing infrastructure retrofitted to adapt/prepare to climate change risks.
Businesses are unlikely to volunteer to take action without hard data. Key information is needed. The development of risk plans by councils is a possible approach but is unlikely to provide enough detail.
Benchmarking should be used to motivate people, especially regarding housing stock. Design standards are needed as choice does not work e.g. double glazing. Incentives are needed, such as insurance fee charges, differential rating, and taxes.
Government, including police, teachers, and government departments, could show more leadership on transport use, building design, water use, waste etc.
Provide incentives for householders with better energy efficient behaviours and housing decisions. Introduce disincentives such as a penalty fee for single glazing.
Upping standards would increase costs so is problematic for state housing.
Can we keep using coal? How do we deal with emissions through technology? Is geo sequestration or biological treatment an option? People need to recognise the trade-offs in making decisions. Information is needed on risks and benefits.
Long-term risks need to be in long term council community plans (LTCCP) and the Urban Design Protocol (e.g. greenfield design).
Population limitation has a role in managing emissions growth.
Greenfield development is very pressured. Greenfield development needs to be extremely well designed and managed for future risks and objectives. Developers, the Environment Court and regulators all have a role in achieving the highest standards.
It is important for people to take action by using solar power, water tanks etc, and more efficient building design. Apart from an environmental conscience, costs are an obvious behavioural mechanism which businesses and people respond to. The end of cheap oil will be likely impact on behaviour.

Transport

More roads are not the solution to transport issues. Co-ordination is needed.
Central government funding is needed to assist councils with public transport. Rate payers cannot be expected to bear the cost.
It is too late to adapt to climate change. We need to talk about system change.
A carbon tax or emissions tracking should be introduced. We need to stop using coal.
The public needs to be educated.
There is a need to train more scientists to undertake research and development.

Energy

Is there a role for nuclear power in the future? Fusion not fission.
Nuclear fusion is the way forward.
A far more co-ordinated approach is needed to energy efficiency, including making resources available on a national level for energy trusts (for planning and communication).
Maybe there should be a penalty for high energy use.

General comments

The Ministry needs to be more proactive in taking leadership.
We need to pay more than lip service to triple bottom line accounting. A credible environmental audit needs to be conducted.
More environmentally responsible investment should be encouraged, e.g. Kiwi Bank mortgage funds.
The Roadshow should have had an ‘urban’ table. Was MfE sending a signal that urban design is unimportant?

Environmental reporting

General comments

There are clear links between council documents and national reporting.
Access to information and raw data behind the scenes is needed.
Cultural issues often not heard in the process of developing reports. Reporting would be more useful if ways were found to include indigenous perspectives. Maori engagement is geographically local e.g. Hapu boundaries run along ridgelines. Consultation processes need to include Maori input. Do we change the framework to incorporate Maori input?
MfE’s role in environmental reporting needs to be clarified. MfE has been playing a marketing role. Customised programmes are needed to get the messages across.
MfE should provide detailed information to help develop customised local programmes.
MfE needs a multi level online database to make information accessible.
All stakeholders’ views should be acknowledged as important and included.
Consistent standards are need so that reporting can be compared locally, regionally and nationally.
How does MfE let others know what is available?
The Northland Regional Council’s online state of the environment report is good. It is up-to-date and not too technical.
The data on legally protected land is not good enough as it does not show the quality of the biodiversity. Standards or indicators are needed.
Consistent and clear information (including regional information) is useful for decision makers.
A small focussed report that is credible and sets out how to achieve defined environmental outcomes would be useful. Credibility comes from references and studies. There is no need to include the detail, just the references for others to follow up.
A report that included information on relevant national policies, Acts, and frameworks for resource management would be useful.
Would the general public look at technical documents?
Community groups should inform what is provided to the public.
Differences in climate and geology make decision making at a national level problematic.
It is useful for one region to see what happens in another region and learn from it.
Standardised messages do not reach everybody. Customised programmes and marketing is needed.

General interest

Climate change

Climate change is going to change the global economy.
Air transport should be factored in to carbon costs.
We need to be encouraged to lower CO2 emissions. Public transport should be made free by subsidising it from road changes.

Governance

There is no clear direction about where Auckland is going.
The Government wants Auckland to have a sharper view of its future direction.
There is a call for standardising district plans. There is good reason for commonality. The old Town and Planning Act required a standardised approach. Current district plans are too complex for people.
How are policy statements and standards taken into account at the decision making level of council?
Decision making training is very popular.
The support for implementation is good. E.g. training opportunities for staff and counsellors.
Training for counsellors is useful and standards need to be maintained.
Perhaps let the councillors know that they can call experts to assist councillors on decision making panels.
Can training be extended to community board members?
There were concerns about how community boards can submit on plans in an informed manner. Can they get access to planning advisers?

Education and information

Information is not readily available to the public and students.
Regional councils and government are working on environmental indicators.
Research data is expensive to collect in a piece meal basis. There are economies of scale to collect data.
Understanding has to be at the community level.

Waste

The environmental cost of waste should be included in the cost of the product.
It is important not to plan adaptation to climate change without trying to prevent further change.
Waste is an issue that is not close to the heart of New Zealander’s.
New Zealand needs to learn lessons from the European Union.
People change behaviour because they have to, they want to, or there are economic incentives.
The resource recovery centre in Onehunga in Auckland is a good model.
Innovation needs to be encouraged. There is support for a waste levy or container deposit legislation.
The image of clean green NZ is eroding.
MfE should be working with NZTE to encourage new business to adopt sustainable principles.
Waste on Waiheke Island is a problem. Residents need to be encouraged to recycle and reuse products.
Shops need to integrate waste recycling or reusing into the products that customers buy e.g. product stewardship.

Water

Auckland is unique. Other parts of the country struggle to balance competition between users, polluters and dairy farmers.
Prioritise who should take water. Take account of the economic benefits.
There is not enough focus on water resources.
Administration boundaries follow catchment boundaries (regional council only).

Energy

Crest Energy has lodged resource consents for a tidal energy project in the Kaipara Harbour. 280 kw would be generated from 200 turbines below the surface of the harbour. This would supply 12 to 15% of Auckland’s energy needs. Iwi are in favour of the project.

Urban development, design and planning

There is no urban table at the Roadshow!
Higher density housing and related good urban design is important.
Eco efficient housing is the way of the future. It is important to decentralise systems e.g. using rain water tanks for non potable consumption, installing solar water heating and more insulation.

Air quality

The public needs to be educated on the issues of air quality and public health.

General comments

Funding should be provided at the grass roots level. It is more effective at the local level.
Resistance to regulation is a problem. There is no understanding about what the local issues are.
Guidance is needed about interaction to get two-way communication.
MfE should conduct an audit across country on communication at local level and set up nationally consistent systems.
It is important to make a connection between behaviour and the affect of this behaviour on the environment. A structure needs to be provided for communication to the local level.
Empower the community to take control so they tell us what needs to be done.
Councils need clearer national guidance on coastal subdivisions and the effects on the coast.
How can government encourage the tourism business to be more sustainable?

Last updated: 11 May 2007