Meeting set for Smith

Environment Minister Nick Smith has been asked to a public meeting about controversial wood burner rules as a local government plan becomes part of the fabric of the central government elections.

National Party Rangitata candidate Andrew Falloon has asked Smith to travel to Timaru to attend a public meeting to discuss air quality standards in the region.

Falloon has also arranged to meet with Environment Canterbury to discuss the implementation of the Canterbury Regional Air Plan and its effect on log burners.

‘‘I’ve arranged to meet with ECan to discuss how they plan to deal with the concerns the community has raised,’’ Falloon said.

‘‘Everyone in our community wants clean air, but nobody wants vulnerable people, particularly the elderly, put in a position where they’re unable to heat their home.

‘‘Part of ECan’s role is listening to the community, and I’d expect them to do that.’’

Falloon stopped short of advocating a ministerial review of the rule requiring burners aged 15-years and over to be replaced with low emission types - a position proposed by Labour Party candidate Jo Luxton on Thursday.

Luxton said a Labour government would scrap the wood burner rule as part of a review of elements of the increasingly controversial air plan.

An Otago University law expert on Thursday confirmed the Environment Minister had broad powers and that such a government-level approach was possible.

Confirming his position on Friday, Falloon said he was surprised by Luxton’s comments.

‘‘ECan’s clean air standards are a result of the directive from the then Labour Government in 2002, requiring that instances of PM10 concentrations (particles less than 10 microns in diameter) are breached only once per year.

‘‘National relaxed that standard to three instances per year after coming into Government, and were criticised by Labour for it.’’

Falloon said he and Smith had talked about the National Environmental Standard, which is under review. Falloon believed further changes should be made.

He had also invited Smith to Timaru ‘‘to attend a public meeting to discuss air quality standards in Canterbury’’, Falloon confirmed.

When contacted, a spokesperson for Smith said the minister was unavailable, referring Stuff to Falloon’s statement.

South Canterbury Regional Air Plan Liaison Committee chairman Mark Rogers said the residents’ group took heart from Labour’s pledge and from the news Smith may soon be involved in the debate.

It was buoyed by the published opinion of associate professor Ceri Warnoch, who said the Environment Minister had incredibly wide powers to investigate the actions of local government.

The group previously proposed asking the Canterbury Mayoral Forum to ask the minister to examine the plan and the rule.

The forum’s deputy chairman, Timaru Mayor Damon Odey, since indicated the forum was not the best place to begin such a reexamination.

Rogers said the group continued to talk to MPs and to candidates. It has already sent a letter to the Smith and Local Government Minister Anne Tolley outlining its concerns.

Opportunities Party candidate Olly Wilson said the deadlines were too tight but it should be a very rare occasion on which central government should become involved in local government.

ECan needed to listen to its community and ensure the eventual change did not mean confusion and hardship.