ECan poll may be ‘very dangerous’
A Canterbury farming leader fears a fully elected Environment Canterbury for the first time in nine years could be ‘‘very, very dangerous’’ if environmental ‘‘extremists’’ are voted in.
Environmental groups say the elections could be a ‘‘game changer’’ for the region and that warnings about a polarised council are ‘‘scaremongering’’.
ECan has outlined plans for a fully democratically elected council for the first time since 2010, when the Government sacked ECan’s 14 councillors and installed commissioners over claims there were ‘‘deep-seated problems’’ with its water management strategy. The council changed to seven elected councillors and six appointed commissioners in 2016.
Under the new proposals, the council would have 13 elected members from seven new constituencies across Canterbury.
Eight councillors would be elected from Christchurch city and five from rural Canterbury.
While the wards are broadly split along population lines, they will allow urban dwellers more influence over environmental policy and water quality standards. Before 2010 when there were 14 councillors with eight elected from Christchurch and six from rural areas.
Under the proposals there will be two councillors from the rural constituencies of North Canterbury, running roughly from Amberley up to Kaikoura and Mid-Canterbury, which is roughly from Amberley down to Geraldine. Only one councillor will represent South Canterbury which takes in Geraldine to the Waitaki. The four urban constituencies are Christchurch West covering suburbs like Bishopdale, Avonhead and Halswell; Christchurch Central covering the city centre, Linwood, Riccarton and Fendalton; Christchurch North covering Papanui and Burwood, and Christchurch South covering Spreydon, Cashmere, Heathcote and Banks Peninsula.
Two councillors will be elected from each.
Federated Farmers north Canterbury president Cameron Henderson feared the changes would take the council back to 2010.
‘‘It could mean that we end up with some polarising characters on the council that have some extreme views. We don’t want that from either end of the spectrum,’’ he said.
‘‘They have extreme views around what targets should exist for water quality and unrealistic timetables. It is very, very dangerous if we end up with that.
‘‘We don’t want to return to a polarised council that makes poor decisions or no decisions at all.’’
Fish and Game environmental adviser Scott Pearson said it was right that city people were better represented on the ECan council as they paid rates and made use of rural areas for recreation and drinking water.
‘‘I wouldn’t want it to go from one extreme to the other ... I don’t think this will lead to more polarisation. They will probably try and scaremonger that it will lead to polarisation. If it is done well, it can minimise the amount of antagonism and legal fighting.’’
He said a new council could refocus on the environment rather than the economy.
‘‘Having a better representative model will provide a better voice for the environment.’’
The Forest and Bird regional manager for Canterbury and the West Coast, Nicky Snoyink, said the elections could lead to new environmental standards.
She ran unsuccessfully for the mid-Canterbury ECan seat in the 2016 election.
‘‘With a lot more environmentally aware candidates we have the potential to see a line drawn in the sand and see actual substance behind halting the loss of indigenous biodiversity.’’
ECan chairman Steve Lowndes said he did not think the changes would lead to a split council. ‘‘We don’t have a rural/ urban split. It is not an intensifyagriculture versus environment split.’’
The proposals are open for consultation until July 30.