Nick Smith's 'One Ring' plans

Nick Smith's floating a National Environmental Standard for forestry that reeks of Anne Tolley's abortive attempts to impose a national standard onto schools. In Smith's case, he's seeking to remove localised decision making from councils and pass the power to Central Government, so that industry will benefit.

He says:

“It does not make sense that some forestry activities require consents in some areas but not in other council jurisdictions"

Well Nick, local decision making does make sense where conditions are peculiar to that locality. Local authorities have specific and detailed information and experience that can provide the basis of appropriate decision making. Your Wellington-based wonks are not famous for having that ability.

"These proposed standards are part of the Government's broader resource management reforms of proper, stronger central Government direction on environmental protection and reducing compliance costs for industry."

Industry will be further delighted by your proposal, as if they aren't rubbing their hands already!

What an easy run they are getting under the cloak of this government.

Look out environment, here comes Smithy!

Don Elder on Jan Wright on lignite or wood

Dr Elder says 'lignite'.
Dr Wright says 'wood'.

Elder:

“We will take full responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions in developing our Southland lignite projects."

Government-owned coal miner Solid Energy came out with a sharp comment on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Environment over a view on biofuels. Solid Energy said the Parliamentary Commissioner for Environment, Dr Jan Wright, was misinforming the important national discussion on the country’s transport future.
By *focusing solely on environmental issues*, Dr Jan Wright concludes that the future does not lie in lignite-derived fuels.
This, said Solid Energy chief executive Dr Don Elder, ignores the real question: “How do we provide New Zealanders with transport fuel security and affordability while addressing environmental sustainability?”
Dr Elder acknowledged Dr Wright’s contribution to the debate around New Zealand’s emerging biofuels industry but said her focus was* too narrow *and risks cutting off valuable options.
“Solid Energy believes the Southland lignite resource is capable of producing a secure, affordable supply of transport fuel and we are committed to addressing environmental impacts.

Wright:

The country's environmental watchdog is taking aim at a state-owned coalminer's plans to turn lignite into diesel.
Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright said the Government should only support Solid Energy's plans for a large-scale synthetic-fuel facility in Mataura, Southland, after *considering if wood
could be used instead*.
"Solid Energy is a state-owned enterprise and when it invests in infrastructure it pays a lower dividend, thus reducing Government revenue,"
Wright said in a report released yesterday.
"The *responsible ministers* should take a strong interest in any *major long-term investment by Solid Energy*, especially one with the potential to  *increase national greenhouse gas emissions.*"