Tukituki Catchment Proposal –Board of Inquiry Hearing

Day 22 – 18 December 2013        

During cross examination of Fish & Game witness Helen Marr today the board felt it was necessary for more expert conferencing to be undertaken between all the planners involved in the prior Plan Change 6 conferencing to discuss the recently submitted Fish and Game alternative Change 6 provisions. They have asked for this to take place before the Board of Inquiry reconvenes on 15 January 2014. The aim is for the planners to narrow issues as far as possible on HBRC’s and Fish & Game’s versions of Plan Change 6. The planners will then appear together before the board when it reconvenes in January.

Hawke’s Bay Fish & Game Council and Eastern Fish & Game Council (continued from 16 December)

Witnesses called:
•          Perception Planning (specialist planning consultancy) Director and Planning Consultant - Helen Marr discussed her recently submitted alternative Plan Change 6 provisions.
•          Perception Planning Director Phillip Percy focussed on consenting aspects of Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme. He said if the board accepts the lower nitrogen limits proposed by Fish & Game then it would be difficult for the RWSS to proceed.

Fish & Game will present its closing submissions in January when the board reconvenes and the planners have appeared before the board.

Other submitters

•          Gerard Pain wants the board to reject RWSS as he thinks it will have adverse environmental effects and be expensive. If the board does approve RWSS he wants a public referendum on whether HBRC should contribute to the scheme.

•          Adrienne Tully says she opposes RWSS and Plan Change 6 because of the ecological impacts and land intensification.

•          Quentin Bennett says he is concerned about the effects land intensification could have on Tukituki River.

•          Daniel Stabler wants the focus to be on improving the soil and water quality in the Tukituki Catchment and is concerned about the effects of land intensification.

•          Phyllis Tichinin discussed the benefits of biological agriculture.

To read daily transcripts from the hearing follow this link:
http://www.epa.govt.nz/Resource-management/Tukituki/Hearing/hearing-proceedings/Pages/Hearing%20transcript%20and%20proceedings.aspx

ENDS