Barry Weeber, co-chair of ECO.
"The Environmental Protection Agency is being designed to fast track infrastructure projects for the government and vested business interests."
"There was widespread disquiet that John Key and Gerry Brownlee had both indicated they intended mining and exploration to go ahead in conservation areas, irrespective of public opinion. This arrogance and bad faith with the public is corrosive of trust in government," the Scoop report continues.
Diana Shand, former Regional Councillor of Canterbury Regional Council urged delegates to fight for their democratic rights. "In Canterbury the regional council has been displaced in favour of government appointees. In Auckland the Regional Council has been absorbed into the 'supercity', functions have been outsourced beyond the reach of accountability to citizens: clearly regional government is at risk across the New Zealand.
Read all about it!
2 comments:
Does the majority of funding for regional councils come from rates or central government?
Technically the councillors have still been elected by the people to carry out that role, so why stop? When people suddenly start doing things, like taking more water because the EPA has given them the okay, then the regional councils should jump in with a nice big fine. The fine money could keep them afloat.
Those are good questions Bioneer.
Sadly, the Government was able to sack the Ecan councill without recourse at the political level but as we have seen there has been huge reaction from 'the people'. I predict there will be a lot more before and during the approaching local body elections. There's already a 'cairn for Democracy' installed in the Square in Christchurch, heart of the city. Those people are not going quietly.
There were several Ecan councillors at the ECO conference and they didn't look to have their tails between their legs.
The EPA is going to be a highly spun front for greater development in my opinion. The EPA 'office' looks to be cronically understaffed and weaker than rosewater so I'm not expecting them to be able to resist the machinations of Government, even if they had a mind to.
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