Invercargill local government meeting
Tuesday 31 October
National Environmental Standards
Septic tanks
- It is difficult for councils and TLAs to come up with a strategy to deal with septic tank discharges. A septic tank standard would provide a good framework to work with. Plumbers/local industry may appreciate clarity for upgrade purposes.
- There is strong support for a septic tank standard.
Telecommunications
- Why develop a radiofrequency standard when this is already done by MED?
- There is support for aspects of the proposed standard for telecommunications facilities covering masts and antennas.
- Get fibre optic cables into the transmission lines! There should be little objection to this.
- There are too many non economic devices to hinder telecommunication progress with respect to co-location. The Southland Conservation Board has incorporated co-location into their Fiordland management plan. The plan includes a definition of co-location versus co-siting of telecommunications towers. There is a bigger issue for DOC regarding location near walking tracks (bad aesthetics).
Wilding pines
- Trees planted for soil protection on Mid Dome are now being ripped out. Has DOC forgotten why the trees were planted in the first place?
- The overall environmental impact of wilding pines needs to be looked at, rather than simply placing restrictions.
- Where does the difference between biosecurity and MfE exist? Especially in relation to Undaria (seaweed) and the responsibility for managing its spread. Will the management of Undaria be similar to gorse?
General comments
- There is support for a national standard on the use of air as an energy source, lead by MED.
- A joint DOC and MfE meeting would be good.
Water
Land use
- Dairying has a large impact in the region with ongoing effects.
- Land development on tussock country has meant flooding and drainage patterns have changed from taking two days to travel through the catchment to 12 hours.
- Stock access and intensity means the water quality has decreased and there is now a visible change in some waters due to effluent disposal.
- In comparison with erosion issues in the North Island, changing land dynamics in Southland is the biggest issue.
National Environmental Standards
- Further information is wanted around any proposed national policy statements or standards.
- There is a need more clarity around the sources of human drinking water standards and the Ministry of Health water standard.
Climate change
Adaptation and mitigation
- New Zealand cannot have much impact on global CO2 emissions. However, New Zealand is one of the greatest emitters per capita.
- There is a difference between naturally (biologically) produced emissions and industry emissions. New Zealand’s emissions profile is unique in terms of the agricultural contribution.
- Adaptation is part of the core business of councils, e.g. councils have an influence over infrastructure. Councils need guidance from central government regarding sea level rise and set backs. A standard would be useful or perhaps a mechanism using the RMA. New Zealand is particularly vulnerable in terms of its economy.
- Stronger direction is needed from central government through regulation, e.g. the Building Act.
- Stronger guidance is needed from central government on coastal erosion and coastal issues. Councils need to take a precautionary approach.
- Do it once and do it nationally when it comes to national guidelines.
- Government could be seen to punish people and over-legislate, and this can become destructive.
- Climate change impacts must be considered when infrastructure is replaced.
- At some time in the future councils will have to face a choice between increasing the height of stop banks or managing development on the flood plains.
- Regulations regarding coastal erosions and set backs do not always have a profound effect on properties values, e.g. Pauanui on the Coromandel has 100 metre set back.
- Possibly green, red and orange zones around the coast might be a useful idea to indicate where development can and cannot occur.
Transport
- It is imperative to have a cheap source for biofuels. Obvious sources for biofuel in New Zealand are whey and tallow. These two products are already collected and there is a good market overseas. New Zealand needs security of supply. Biofuels will be important for New Zealand’s fuel security.
- We should be 20-25% self sufficient in New Zealand with regards to fuel and biofuel.
Education and information
- More detailed regional information is needed.
- The key issue is to get public buy-in through education.
- It would be useful to have strong national guidelines. It is not a matter of if climate change happens, it is happening now.
- Often requiring a community has to be jolted by an event before the climate change issue gets traction. Education is important.
General comments
- Concern was expressed about being penalised through food miles.
- There is a lack of good science on how to fix the problem.
- Many issues can be addressed simply through “common sense”. Climate change impacts will affect different places differently.
- The Stern report needs to be circulated to all who need it.
- A level playing field is needed internationally.
- What is the status of the Stern report? How does it affect New Zealand? Climate change is going to be an election issue.
- Some kind of price signal is needed.
- Where did the $9 million carbon credits given to Meridian come from?
- Picking up bill for Kyoto liability – how will this affect local government? There is concern about what central government will expect from local government.
Environmental reporting
ENZ07
- The relevance of national state of the environment reporting to specific local communities was discussed. Regional state of the environment reports should be produced.
- Anything cumbersome will not be looked at.
- The report should be relatively brief, providing an indication of trends at a scan. It should use graphics and summary information should be prepared for decision makers.
- Providing comparison between regions on performance is important (especially for elected representatives).
- Comparisons also measure compliance for councils and councillor performance.
- A summary document should be produced in addition to a larger report. The report should be web based as well as published.
- Summaries should be produced at a chapter level.
- Avoid jargon. The report needs to be clear.
- Results and data could be listed by region for easy access to location-based information for councils and communities.
- Get straight to the point and provide just the facts. Overview stuff can be patronising.
- Keep it simple.
- What role does state of the environment reporting have in providing guidance for managing infrastructure, for example on adaptation to climate change?
General interest
Waste
- We need to change people’s attitudes at a national level e.g. through a national campaign.
- Why should councils pay to clean up other people’s rubbish?
- There must be ways we can think more collectively about glass.
- The perception is that councils are not doing anything because glass gets piled up at landfills.
- MfE needs to advocate to Treasury that economics is not the driver of the glass recycling issue.
- Is it more energy efficient to recycle glass in China rather than in New Zealand?
Governance
- MfE should have more of an advocacy role in terms of the environment with e.g. MfE should have a biosecurity department.
- The environmental advocacy role could/should be with MfE not DOC.
- MfE should be more decentralised.
- MfE needs to get out on the ‘coal face’ to help make better policy decisions.
- Central government needs to be part of 3 agencies (regional and district councils) to have a one stop document that everyone can refer to in terms of coastal development for the whole country, not lots of different documents for separate regions. The document would include both national and regional policies.
Last updated: 27 February 2008
