For Monique, Here is my email to CEO of Auckland Council Doug McKay in which I highlight that when the AC was given the chance to comment on petroleum drilling earlier this year, IT DID NOT RESPOND. I still dont know why the Governing Body did not tell the Govt it opposed drilling off the West Coast. Dear Doug, I am extremely disappointed that on the GB agenda today (Item 10) was a proposed submission on a proposal for petroleum exploration off the West Coast and that the Waitakere Ranges Local Board was given no opportunity to provide input. You will recall that I contacted you in May concerned about the fact that the Auckland Council failed to participate in an earlier stage of the process even though Government had invited the Council to make a submission. That discussion involved yourself and Dr Blakeley. It should have been obvious as the only elected person from the West Coast of Auckland (as councillor and now on the LB), that I would want to convey the view of the area and the LB to the GB. The report says that there was not time to get LB views. I really dispute this. I am readily available and have been in office for two weeks and elected for a month. As it is I feel the submission was deficient in various respects including the following: - It fails to outline the high natural values of the coastline which are recognised with the highest levels of protection in the UP and earlier District and Regional Plans. The entire coast is an Outstanding Natural Landscape. - It does not outline the already depleted state of the West Coast fishery with schnapper stocks at 8% of Virgin Biomass and considered to be in a state of collapse. - It mentions briefly recreation and tourism but does not highlight that the surf breaks at Piha and Maori Bay are recognised in the UP as regionally significant. Many national and international surfing and surf life saving events are held on this coast; nor does it mention that places like Otakamiro Point gannet colony are important tourism destinations for overseas visitors. - The beaches along these coast host millions of visitors every year - Muriwai alone 1 million - and any oil spills would have a devastating effect on such visitation. These are further reasons for expressing concern at the proposal, that could have strengthened the submission. There seems to be no reliable systematic process in place for alerting LBs to matters affecting them in GB agendas. I will raise this with Karen Lyons, as it is entirely unsatisfactory. Can you convey these concerns to relevant staff and impress on them the necessity to involve LBs in their projects. Regards Sandra Coney Chair WRLB
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 08:55:10 +0000
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