ECan’s pause on regional policy the ‘only option’

A Mid Canterbury councillor is backing the regional council's decision to pause work on its new Regional Policy Statement to align with the Government's direction.
Environment Canterbury on Wednesday voted 9-7 to delay notifying the policy statement (RPS) until January 2026 following the Government changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) this year.
A Government directive last month restricted councils from enacting a new water plan until a new National Policy Statement (NPS) on freshwater has been developed.
Environment Canterbury councillor Ian Mackenzie said the previous RMA reforms were “insidious" and disliked in rural communities.
How they were embedded in draft RPS would require it to be rewritten to take the new Government direction, Mackenzie said.
“We had no choice really but to pause.
“It will save a huge amount of money for ratepayers in the short term, and we will get certainty and less legal challenge by complying with central Government direction.”
In terms of the Government direction, he said there was no ambiguity.
At the council meeting on Wednesday, Canterbury regional planning manager Andrew Parrish said there is ambiguity in the legislation that “creates an opportunity” to progress to notification but it presented a legal risk.
ECan chairperson Craig Pauling had advocated engaging with the Environment Minister to seek a pathway for notifying the RPS, which staff recommended.
He agreed “there is enough ambiguity to push forward”.
Instead, McKay put the pause option forward and it passed with a majority.
McKay said that a pause aligns with “the clear direction we have had from central Government, and presents no risk to the organisation".
“Expectations in our communities are that this council will take direction from central Government.”
Cr Genevieve Robinson said the wording in the report suggested the council was afraid to consider itself as leaders during a time of environmental uncertainty.
“Why should we wait? As it stands today we still have a statuary duty.
“I don’t think we should delay at all, no matter the [Government’s] signal.”
Robinson had earlier asked how much had been spent on the process so far, but Parrish initially declined to answer as the exact figure was not known and is currently part of an Official Information Act request by Local Democracy Reporting.
Parrish did confirm the figure is “in the millions”.
The Otago Regional Council spent $18m on its Land and Water Regional Plan before being halted by the Government’s RMA amendment.
Cr Greg Byrnes said he wanted to proceed with notification of the policy which “provides balance” for economic development and sustainable management of resources.
“I acknowledge the crown role, but I work for the people of Canterbury – let them decide”.
Cr Vicky Southworth said she was disappointed at the prospect of a pause caused by a Government “that is essentially, as far as I can see it, ruling for a small proportion of people, largely those ... who are members of Federated Farmers.”
In contrast, councillors voted by 11-4 to seek advice from the Environment Minister around notifying Plan Change 8 to the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan.
The change is designed to resolve changes to the take and use of water, wetland construction and agricultural intensification after the Supreme Court ruled last year it had not been issuing lawful changes to consents.
Councillor Iaean Cranwell said councillors were "hypocritical" to vote to pause the RPS, were willing to engage with the Environment Minister on Plan Change 8.
He described it as "a dark day" for ECan.
"My message to the Government is leave it to the people of Waitaha to set our own our priorities."
By Jonathan Leask
