Press release from Citizens Environmental Advocacy Centre

15th January 2019.

Citizens Environment Advocacy Centre is a long serving community advocate and non-government organisation which is encouraged by the stance of Hawke’s Bay regional councillors Debbie Hewitt and Paul Bailey on the Napier Port partial sale.

These councillors are standing firm both for the natural and ‘built’ environments.

Napier residents are negatively affected by the 24 hour truck traffic to the port.

We are concerned that port privatisation will mean that environmental sustainability loses out to economic growth.

Did the regional council discuss how it will manage future truck noise, vibration and pollution?

How will they enforce restrictions on any private owner of the Port as to how they conduct their truck freight operations and port traffic?

Regional council chair Rex Graham said a minority share float was the most effective way to secure the port’s future.

“This is an important decision that provides clarity for ratepayers, the Port, and the work of the Regional Council.” said Mr Graham.

The regional council is responsible for the health and wellbeing of our communities, their environment, so will ultimately face the costs to
provide noise, vibration and air pollution mitigation measures needed for this port truck traffic.

We raise these issues now as council decide on the rule changes to have a private buyer comply with the resource management act and other
regulatory rules governing the council.

We hope that the councillors will accept an invitation to a meeting with our community to demonstrate that our community has real ‘intangible effects’ from that 24hr truck freight movement to the Napier Port.

Councillors are aware that heavy freight truck traffic to the Port has almost trebled from 977 in 2002 to 1500 in 2010 and to 2566 in 2018.

The RMA states;
“ sustainable management means managing the use, development, and protection of natural and physical resources in a way, which enables people and communities to provide for their social, economic, and cultural well-being and for their health and safety and avoiding, remedying or mitigating any adverse effects of activities on the environment.”

This current reliance on trucking freight to Napier Port is not sustainable or healthy for residents or the environment.

As environmental guardians the council should restore rail freight to the port instead of increasing truck traffic through Napier.

We recommend Ngati Kahaungunu should be a principal minority shareholder of Napier Port due to their being co-guardians of the foreshore and seabed’ with Government already.

We agree with NKII chair Ngahiwi Tomoana that as ‘the third largest iwi in NZ,’ they should be a leading minority shareholder in Napier Port as they have a keen interest in protecting the environment and the people who live in it.

Maori played a proud part in building the Napier/Gisborne rail line and are 60% of Kiwi rail staff; therefore they have a vested interest in
rail services to Napier Port as a better environmental choice to move freight and reduce road fatalities as well as protecting our environment.

CEAC spokesperson Ken Crispin

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