Interviewing people with something to say

What an elegant title from the Southland Times 'letters' editor today; pithy and amusing too.
He was referring to my letter of response to councillor Miller's earlier, in-my-opinion lame, effort.

Marion Miller rises (November 1) in defence of the "old guard" on the council of Environment Southland.

 In doing her duty she takes a swipe at The Southland Times' report and criticises the reporter for not interviewing those 'old guards', talking instead to the councillors who expressed a lively opinion during the meeting. 

 You can hardly blame the reporter for looking for something other than platitudes to offer readers.

ROBERT GUYTON

Rowly Currie too, had a letter published this morning (it's a good day for democracy, eh, Stuart!).

Rowly exposed an aspect of 'council business' that most people won't have known about; the continued influence of ex-chairman Stuart Collie. Rowly wrote (under the title, Democratic process):

In response to Stuart Collie (November 2) all Environment Southland councillors understand and accept the democratic process.

 The majority view will always triumph. 

 Sometimes, some may not favour an outcome, and will say so, which is a democratic right.
 It would appear that Stuart Collie`s remarks relate to the fact that he is the proud mentor of Ali Timms.

ROWLY CURRIE

Beautiful!

The bedrock of democracy

More letters in today's Southland Times, from people at Wednesday's 'lignite' meeting, at which, briefly and unsuccessfully, the past-chairman of Environment Southland attempted to subvert the democratic process. These 3 letters describe his failure as well as some values the letter-writers got from the occasion. The editor chose the 'bedrock' heading.

It was disappointing to hear Cr Robert Guyton being criticised for his initiative in organising a meeting to gauge the depth of feeling over Solid Energy's proposal to mine Southland's lignite. (July 7)
  I have always believed that public consultation is the bedrock of democracy and must be employed whenever controversial issues arise.
  It serves the dual purpose of clearing away misunderstandings by providing people with accurate information while also providing the decisionmakers with an insight into the feelings of the people they represent.
  This step may prove to be an inconvenience to those groups that have their own agendas but it is the process that saved the old Southland Electric Power Supply from privatisation and succeeded in retaining it as a consumer owned non-profit trust.
  Robert Guyton obviously shares this view, as well as appreciating the need to avoid breaking the conflict-of-interest protocols or showing any preference.
  In my opinion he succeeded in doing this throughout the meeting by taking a completely disinterested stance, encouraging everyone present to speak and refraining from adding any leading comments. He was there to listen and learn but not lead the discussion.
  This lignite mining issue deserves widespread public debate, because whatever decisions are made today will prove to be highly praised, or roundly condemned, by future generations.
ALAN SWALLOW
Invercargill

Collie questioned

I question Mr Collie in his chastisement of Environment Southland councillor Robert Guyton for what he says are predetermined views, and outspoken viewpoints.
  In Mr Collie's point of view, this means Mr Guyton should not be on a consent hearing committee.
  So how can Mr Collie be so sure that the other Environmnet Southland board members don't also have strong-held predetermined views?
  They may have viewpoints that are totally opposite to Mr Guyton's.
  I suggest to him that just because they are not outspoken doesn't mean they don't have strongly held political and personal biases, that are revealed in their decisionmaking with resource consents.
  Mr Collie's own political biases are well known. I ask Mr Collie, when he was in the position on Environment Southland could he honestly say he never once allowed this to affect the decisions he made or his stewardship as its chairman.
  Thankfully, with Robert Guyton, at least the community knows what he represents.
  Personally, like many at Mr Guyton's meeting, I was appreciative for his giving the public a chance to have a say on the many important environment issues which do now and will affect Southland in the future.
PAULINE MACINTOSH
Invercargill


Attacks don't work

Mr Collie (July 7) needs to stop grandstanding and accept that he is not the chairman of Environment Southland now.
  Attacks on Robert Guyton's integrity did not work at the local body elections. They do not work now.
  Mr Guyton was elected as a well-known environmental activist, just as many well-known farmers and those of other persuasions have been elected in the past.
  Guidelines around conflict of interest are quite clear. It is up to the current chairman of Environment Southland to decide if they exist and have not been declared.
  There is a reason lignite has stayed in the ground so long.; the worst, lowest-energy coal gets mined last, if at all.
  People at Wednesday's meeting wanted to talk about more than briquettes.
  They wanted to talk about why lignite to liquids might not be a good long-term answer; about environmental impacts; about what might be better in energy economics; about the fact that there are more jobs in renewables and in agriculture than in unsustainable mining.
  Fortunately, apart from Mr Collie's interruption, that was what was discussed.
  Good on Robert Guyton for organising such a meeting, and I hope it is not the last such.
LESLEY SOPER
Labour candidate, Invercargill.

Letters I like

This letter from a P. Clifford of Invercargill in today's Southland Times is the kind that makes me feel that there are many people in our community that know what democracy is all about. Titled 'Preconceived ideas' slur is laughable' by the Times, the letter says:
"So the former head of Environment Southland is concerned that Cr Robert Guyton may have had some preconceived ideas on the environment before he was voted in?
  Laughable.
  Doesn't he realise that's why I and many others voted for him in the first place?
  Does anyone think maybe that Stuart Collie had his own preconceived ideas when he was voted in considering his former background in the farming lobby group Federated Farmers?
  Look at the state of our environment and ask yourself just what kind of job he did when he was running the show.
  I say we need more like Robert."

That's a very encouraging letter, both at a personal level and where it shows that people are looking to see what really is happening in their own backyards and not just accepting the assurances of those who have been elected to plum positions. In saying that, I'll post all letters that come in on the subject and expect that there will be some that don't echo P.Clifford's and present a different view. That's what it's all about!

Interesting comment

This comment, relating to the changing of the guard at Environment Southland appeared on one of the most widely read national blogs recently.

Posted October 13, 2010 at 12:10 AM

An interesting element related to Robert’s journey to the council of Environment Southland was the demise of Stuart Collie the retiring Chair. Collie had a confused perception of his role and regularly wrote articles in the Southland Times openly supporting the mining of lignite and promoting the view that protecting the environment should not restrict farming profitability, farming came first! He was most concerned at Guy Salmond’s view that environmentalists and maori should be included on environment councils to balance the interests of farmers. Collie thought that anyone who hadn’t farmed had no place in making decisions regarding rural resources and openly criticized Robert and another candidate for being too biased in their views to make balanced decisions. After retiring from his role as ES chair Stuart Collie needed further employment and stood for the Invercargill City Council. I am hoping it was because of the many letters we wrote to public opinion questioning Collie’s flawed thinking because he was well out of the running and a first time candidate and ex waste buster was elected well ahead of him.
 
Stuart Collie's disappearance from the local body scene in Southland is a notable one but interestingly, not a single mention of it has been made by the media.
Curious.

Got the Collie-wobbles!

"ENVIRONMENT Southland chairman Stuart Collie yesterday admitted he was a member of both Act and the National Party but was adamant he could remain impartial in his council role."

The irrepressible Paddy Lewis on 'Credo Quia Absurdum Est' busts Stuart Collie wide open with this tidy piece of investigative blogarism, revealing that Collie is a Rodney Hide man and can't keep his bias to himself, according to some of his fellow councillors.

" According to the Act Party website yesterday (26 February 2005), Mr Collie is the party’s Invercargill and Clutha-Southland electorate contact."

It's all water under the bridge, you'd hope, but it does make Mr Collie's recent comments regarding impartiality ring a little hollow.

I couldn't help feeling that Mr Collie's letter to the editor had a whiff of hypocrisy about it.
Tonight's Cue TV candidates panel coverage might further the sorry tale even more, who knows!

Chairman Collie writes...

Impartiality a duty


I retire from my role as chairman of the Southland Region Council I would like to make it clear to intending councillors that they have a duty to be impartial on matters that come before them.
Both Robert Guyton and Pauline McIntosh have in recent correspondence to The Southland Times, made clear statements of predetermination regarding significant matters that may come before council at some future time.
These statements will automatically disbar them from any decision process that may be convened to make policy and decisions that relate to these possible developments.
Because the regional council regulates use of the natural environment, councillors are not able to be politically active in the manner that is appropriate for a district or city councillor.
The regional council's role is to ensure wise use of natural resources. Decisions must be based on facts not opinions.
The region's prosperity in the longer term is dependent on the maintenance of a sound ecosystem. As the community will have noted from the comments made by Cr Rodway in his most pertinent letter published last week, it is possible to have development and clean waterways.
Similarly with issues around future water demand, our task is to identify the environmental limits to use of the resource and it is for applicants to bring to council proposals that comply with those limits.
It is our role to drive innovative solutions that get the best use of the region's resources in a sustainable manner.

Stuart Collie, retiring chairman, Southland Regional Council

My response is already fizzing on the desk of the letters editor.