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By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The Hokitika seawall extension project is to be pushed ahead despite the West Coast Regional Council not having any money yet to build it.
The northern extension to the 2013-built Hokitika Seawall has been in the pipeline for the past two years … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The Hokitika seawall extension project is to be pushed ahead despite the West Coast Regional Council not having any money yet to build it.
The northern extension to the 2013-built Hokitika Seawall has been in the pipeline for the past two years under council's Infrastructure Resilience Group 'shovel ready' programme for the town.
The programme includes the three stage Hokitika River stopbank programme on the southern edge of Hokitika, now at its second stage and awaiting final sign off by KiwiRail.
On Wednesday, the council announced it will drive forward its goal of providing better long-term coastal protection for the Hokitika residential area along the Revell Street-north beachfront.
Council chairperson Peter Haddock said they hope council can win some of the new 'shovel ready' money, set aside in the Coalition Government deal with NZ First, to build the extension.
But a requirement for the new money is the consent application is lodged to ensure no subsequent delay to what are supposed to be 'shovel ready' projects.
Haddock warned council is contesting for an annual pool of about $100m of funding nationwide.
"The priority for the Government will be that the projects are all ready to go because in the past a lot of projects that were 'shovel ready', weren't ready."
Haddock said council has applied knowing it will need to show it has the consent in train to qualify.
"It is in one of the tranches for funding. We have put that up for the Hokitika seawall, however it will depend on priorities around the country."
The new consent application encompassed future sea protection emergency work, a retrospective emergency work provision for the current 2013 seawall, and consent for the proposed extension.
Haddock said the emergency provision would allow council to be more proactive in the face of a future extreme event.
At the same time he expected some pushback from residents in the seawall extension area who stood to lose easy beach access from their properties.
"It will be contentious."
The township, founded in 1864, has a long history of inundation with the sea flooding the CBD within living memory.
Haddock said they hoped to have a formal hearing by about September - dependent on the availability of commissioners.
Council natural hazards analyst Dr Sharon Hornblow said Hokitika's natural hazard exposure is clear as it is built "within a dynamic coastal environment".
"Erosion issues are part of a long-term balance between sediment supply and highly active coastal processes," she said.
In particular the Hokitika shoreline is in a state of "dynamic equilibrium" balancing sediment supply from the river and earthquake induced landslides, with coastal bars and erosion troughs impacted by flood flows and storms.
Hokitika's seismic location between the Alpine Fault and the offshore Cape Foulwind Fault meant vertical land movement, along with sea level rise, is a future consideration, Hornblow said.
Council had decades of coastal erosion monitoring data, with the most recent data from 2021 showing "the potential" for river and storm surge flooding.
"Future projections for the Hokitika shoreline are more frequent severe flood events, coastal storms, future sea level rise from measured temperature increases and ice melt, and further sediment transport as well as coastal erosion," Hornblow said.
Extending and completing a new sea wall presented "a proactive short to medium-term option".
Hornblow said it would potentially help mitigate the ongoing impacts of sea level rise and the increased coastal hazard exposure while council worked towards a longer-term strategy for the area.
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By local democracy reporter:
The Government has paused work on the rollout of health localities, but the West Coast pilot Takiwā Poutini will continue for now.
Takiwā Poutini chairperson Kevin Hague said the move was "not surprising" as Health Minister Shane Reti had indicated he … View moreBy local democracy reporter:
The Government has paused work on the rollout of health localities, but the West Coast pilot Takiwā Poutini will continue for now.
Takiwā Poutini chairperson Kevin Hague said the move was "not surprising" as Health Minister Shane Reti had indicated he "wasn't convinced by localities" during the election campaign.
"But on the other hand, he talked up the need for community involvement in planning and decision making - which is exactly what localities provide," Hague said.
"What he has done ... is pushed out the deadlines for locality plans and establishment of geographic boundaries. Clearly that is to allow the development of an alternative."
A Cabinet paper presented by the health minister on the abolishment of the Māori Health Authority also called a stop to further work on the rollout of up to 80 health localities across the country by June.
Introduced as part of the health reforms in 2022, it was to support localism and promote work between sectors as the local decision making of district health boards were scrapped.
However, Reti said their implementation had been slow "and there is a lack of clarity for communities and the health workforce", the NZ Herald reported.
The West Coast was in the initial rollout of 12 pilot areas in May 2022.
The locality Takiwā Poutini has engaged with local government, iwi, community groups and the education sector to gauge priorities to determine future health services across the region.
Hague said he did not see the locality rollout pause as the end but an opportunity to build on the model.
"Clearly, that is to allow the development of an alternative. In the meantime we've been told to keep working."
The West Coast locality would continue to be supported by Health New Zealand-Te Whatu Ora as it continued its work, Hague said.
Hague said he foresaw their work already being tapped into in the formulation of a new structure rather than "throwing the baby out with the bathwater".
Two key aspects were important to continue, he said:
* The evolving partnership to plan services between local government, central government and iwi via Takiwā Poutini.
* Incorporating the key focus of wellbeing "in a broader sense".
"It's encouraging that [Reti] hasn't said stop work on this - he's kind of slowing down the process," Hague said.
The Takiwā locality formalised its charter in March 2023, partnering with the region's councils and two rūnanga.
Greymouth mayor Tania Gibson, who is on the Takiwa Poutini governance board, said they had been left questioning its future.
"The last couple of meetings have been the uncertainty about what the Government will be doing … we'll see where that goes."
Gibson said the locality's purpose had seemed "very confusing" at times, including local government being pulled into its mandate but there had been some positive gains for the region.
This included the provision of new mobile health units in the region and the gathering of "good information" through consultation on community wellbeing, Gibson said.
Those wellbeing aims were to be incorporated through her council's long-term plan, as one example of an integrated approach.
Tony Kokshoorn, the former West Coast DHB deputy chairperson until 2022, said while he had agreed with the health reforms, there still needed to be "a go-between" so a small region like the West Coast could be heard in the new centralised system.
He said he understood the locality idea was supposed to do that in lieu of the former boards.
"We still need a link. We need some type of link into the central system -- we need some way there to make sure we're not overlooked here on the West Coast."
Reti said: "During the process which moved through Parliament this week, I consistently reiterated this Government’s commitment to delivering healthcare close to home and to hapu – and that includes on the West Coast."
He said the pausing of localities gave time to consider how to ensure health agencies deliver this commitment on the ground.
"There will be more to say and more thinking to be done. The legislation provides for a pause while we work out how to ensure genuine local influence on local service design and delivery happens."
Reti said he agreed that ways of working that identify and support local solutions to local health challenges are needed.
"That means using data, measuring progress, and working with people who know their communities best.
"When we get this right, we'll be supporting New Zealanders to stay in good health for longer wherever they are, whoever they are, and whatever their health needs are."
He said primary and community healthcare is the gateway to the health system for most people, particularly on the West Coast. In this space, Iwi Māori Partnership Boards would be "an increased local voice for all", as will the existing Primary Health Organisations.
"I thank the teams such as West Coast Takiwā Poutini as we take the time to pause, and consider the way ahead," Reti said.
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By local democracy reporter Brendon McMajon
An investigation by an environmental watchdog has carried out interviews and gathered evidence from a controversial private landfill near Greymouth.
The West Coast Regional Council announced on January 12 it had asked the Environmental Protection … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMajon
An investigation by an environmental watchdog has carried out interviews and gathered evidence from a controversial private landfill near Greymouth.
The West Coast Regional Council announced on January 12 it had asked the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to take over the compliance investigation of TaylorvilLe Resource Park at Coal Creek, 5km east of Greymouth.
A team of up to six people from the EPA in Wellington had visited the landfill site to gather evidence by the end of January.
EPA investigations manager Jackie Adams said they were reviewing and considering all the information and consents they had gathered "to inform our next steps".
"Since the EPA started the investigation, we have visited the site, conducted interviews, and have been gathering other evidence to inform the investigation," he said.
"As part of this process, we have also collected multiple water samples during different weather conditions and had these analysed."
Adams did not say what the next steps would be, but EPA would make a statement in due course.
West Coast Regional Council chief executive Darryl Lew told councillors on January 29 it would be for the EPA to determine a final resolution, pending the investigation.
He said the EPA's investigation on the site's compliance was "the most complex" under council's watch.
The council called in the organisation after a string of environmental complaints about the site in 2023.
Allegations included water from landfill pits leaching into a roadside drain, dust allegedly containing asbestos, and an obnoxious pong emanating from the site. The later forced nearby residents to stay indoors and keep their windows closed.
The Grey District Council and local residents also raised concerns with the regional council not considering them affected parties to the original non-notified consents process in 2021-22.
The district council was primarily worried by a potential risk of the landfill compromising the adjoining Greymouth water treatment plant.
WorkSafe is also investigating the landfill after two workers were injured at the site.
On August 3, two landfill workers were also overcome by noxious gas within one of the dump cells.
One man was airlifted to Christchurch Hospital in a serious condition.
The site was cleared by WorkSafe later in August to allow work to resume on the site, pending its ongoing investigation.
On February 27, WorkSafe said its investigation remained ongoing and could take up to 12 months to complete.
WorkSafe said its own investigation did not cross over with that of the EPA.
Lew on January 29 also noted council's own reassessment of the consents for the site is ongoing.
In mid-2023 independent reviewer Enviser slammed council's approach to resource consenting as reliant on "a tick box exercise".
LDR has approached Taylorville Resource Park several times offering it the opportunity to respond.
The site was consented amid a genuine call in the area for landfill space to take demolition material after new seismic requirements anticipated increased demolitions.
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
A short-term fix to protect Franz Josef's vulnerable poo ponds has been finished.
But there is no plan yet to shift the tourist hotspot's wastewater infrastructure away from the Waiho (Waiau) River.
The nearby river previously … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
A short-term fix to protect Franz Josef's vulnerable poo ponds has been finished.
But there is no plan yet to shift the tourist hotspot's wastewater infrastructure away from the Waiho (Waiau) River.
The nearby river previously destroyed the ponds eight years ago, and local council authorities are again worried by its changing course.
Westland District Council announced Tuesday the completion of "unbudgeted" emergency work to extend and shore-up stopbanks at the Franz Josef sewerage treatment site, as the Waiho River begins to encroach.
The council authorised the new protection banks after a storm on January 20 saw the river radically change course, with 95% of its main flow running into the Tatare Stream northwest of the ponds.
Since then the main Waiho channel has been running hard against the Havill Wall stopbank immediately in front of the ponds.
The council has now lengthened its stopbank off the end of the Havill Wall and curved it around the end of the sewerage ponds site amid West Coast Regional Council concerns about the rapid avulsion in the area.
Chief executive Simon Bastion said the council's contractor Westroads and South Westland's Campbell Agriculture and Contracting "shored up" protection to the west of the ponds site.
It gave "breathing space" and responded to the Regional Council's immediate concern about the rate of the riverbed avulsion in that area, he said.
The $370,000 cost was "unbudgeted" at this stage.
"Getting that work in place has obviously given us a lot of surety short-term … we will be seeking external funding to alleviate the costs to ratepayers," he said.
At this stage there was no guarantee about reducing the cost to ratepayers, he said.
The Franz Josef poo ponds site has been a known weak point for council for years.
The wastewater ponds and treatment site has rebuilt once after the Waiho River swept through in the April 2016 flood, which also destroyed the nearby Scenic Group Mueller Wing hotel complex.
In the aftermath the district council decided against shifting its wastewater infrastructure and controversially commissioned what is now known as the Havill Wall to protect the area.
Asked by LDR if council has done anything at all to explore a new site, Bastion replied: "not yet".
"There's critical components to line up here in terms of where to next," he said.
"It really comes down to any funding or for council to approve in the next annual plan."
However, at this stage council did not even have a scope to present to ratepayers within the 2024-34 long-term plan but "the actual reality" would be a replacement timeframe of up to four years.
Bastion said council could not immediately rely on central Government plans to speed up the Resource Management Act process for critical infrastructure.
Regional council chief executive Darryl Lew this week warned the river has now "cut back" about 50m towards the ponds area.
In the meantime, council was continuing its north bank protection scheme to extend, widen and raise stopbanks from Franz Josef township to the ponds.
This included improving and linking in the Havill Wall - to eventually pass into regional council ownership from the district council.
Lew said his council was aware of water now filtering through the Havill Wall from the river including into the ponds area but it was not unprecedented.
"The Havill Wall is below standard but we've investigated what we need to do there, and the (improvement) work is programmed," he said.
"We're aware of the seepage through parts of the bank. Our banks in terms of design are not like North Island (protection) banks. They're largely gravel with tow rock … you inevitably get seep.
"We're monitoring it and we've got no immediate concerns."
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