Canterbury voice critical in significant time of change
Canterbury Regional Council’s Chair Dr Deon Swiggs says the Council is well positioned to consider and respond to proposed resource management legislation.
“For years we have been asking, and waiting, for the Government to act on the outdated resource management system we’ve been operating under.
“The current system, with its complexity and regular changes, creates headaches for us as well. We’re looking forward to this more simplified system, that will make it easier to do things.
“Regional councils have copped a bit of flack these past few weeks, but we know our stuff and are best placed to advise Government on how to make these proposals work for our environment, our economy and our communities,” he said.
Chair Swiggs warned that plans to simplify local government, cap rates and new Bills announced today won’t solve all the frustrations felt by the community.
“Someone is always going to have to strike the hard balance between the economy and the environment. It’s an important – but thankless – task. We need to make sure that we don’t lose sight of what really matters, and that we consider any unintended consequences that these changes might have,” Chair Swiggs said.
The Chair said his Council was disappointed with the proposal to move away from Treaty engagement and concerned about local voice and Canterbury’s unique scale becoming lost in more centralised decision-making.
Chair Dr Deon Swiggs, Canterbury Regional Council
Chair Swiggs said his Council’s priority over the coming months was to work through the detail, especially the cost of transition, and to set expectations for the region’s future.
“We recognise the Government wants a short, sharp transition, and we agree that certainty is a good thing, but we will also be interested to learn how much the transition is going to cost ratepayers.“
Chair Swiggs said the Council would continue to work with the region’s other Councils, its mana whenua partners Ngāi Tahu, industry and the community over summer to help inform its formal submission to the Government, that will be due early in the new year.
"For now, regional councillors remain the democratically mandated voices for our communities. We will keep having frank and confronting conversations about the resource management system and the future of regional delivery, because that is why Canterbury voted us in.
“Everyone’s egos will need to be left at the door. It’s our responsibility to work together to ensure the whole of Canterbury is fairly represented through this significant time of change.”