Concerns raised at water quality hearing
Risk assessment questioned
DAIRYNZ and Federated Farmers yesterday supported many proposed Otago Regional Council water quality aims, however raised concerns about proposed ‘‘environmental risk assessment’’ plans.
A council hearing panel, chaired by Cr Doug Brown, yesterday completed hearing Dunedin-based verbal submissions on the council’s 201718 draft annual plan.
The panel then discussed its recommendations.
DairyNZ regional policy manager Shaun Burkett said the company was committed to working with the council to achieve ‘‘environmentally and economically sustainable dairying’’ in Otago.
The industry’s professional organisation was ‘‘especially supportive’’ of the council’s focus on the implementation of plan change 6A provisions.
He said this was ‘‘extremely important’’.
For onfarm change to occur, resource users needed ‘‘absolute clarity’’ from the regulatory authority on what was required of them.
Mr Burkett noted the proposed ‘‘environmental risk assessment’’ programme for individual farms was voluntary, and there could be catchments where ‘‘very little or no farms’’ volunteer.
He said farmers ‘‘may not be keen to volunteer’’ if they could get into trouble’’ from a compliance perspective.
Federated Farmers senior policy adviser David Cooper and North Otago Federated Farmers’ dairy section chairman Lyndon Strang yesterday said their organisation was ‘‘broadly supportive’’ of the council’s current targeted funding policies.
Mr Cooper said given the risk assessment scheme was voluntary, it was important the council got some ‘‘runs on the board’’ while refining the programme.
This would ensure‘‘good uptake by farmers’’ as well as the programmes’ success.
He said Federated Farmers was concerned ‘‘limited uptake’’ or poor programme implementation could dissuade farmers from getting involved.
Mr Cooper said if that were to happen they would lose time and trust between Otago farmers and their council.Mr Strang said minor noncompliance should be seen as an opportunity for improvement, as was the case with the WorkSafe educational approach.
The hearing panel later voiced sympathy at the idea that aspects of the ‘‘environmental risk assessment’’ process could potentially be undertaken by a third party, such as consultants.
Council chief executive Peter Bodeker said there was only limited time available before the 6A scheme had to be fully implemented in 2020.
The meeting heard clarification would be sought on what was intended by the environmental risk assessment approach fairly early in the next financial year, which would start on July 1.
The panel’s recommendations will later be considered by the council’s finance and corporate committee as well as in a full council meeting later.