Category: Environment Canterbury Regional Council

However, a gaping hole remains.

Finding the balance

Despite being the country’s second largest region, we’re receiving just over seven percent of total national contestable funding. More than last time, but disappointing, when you look at the metrics. The level of investment in Canterbury needs to be on par with our population, road network length, and contribution to GDP (ours is around 12 percent).

Many low-cost, low-risk improvements sought by our local communities have been declined, while larger state highway projects get the go-ahead. That’s not a good enough balance.

Funding is still required for intersection upgrades, new essential road links, relieving congestion and improving safety. We need equitable investment across the region – not just along state highways, but for local roads too.

Another area of significant disappointment is the level of public transport investment — $350 million for Canterbury. Most of this will go towards running our existing network. We need another $737 million on top of this for our PT Futures programme.

Public transport funding falls short

We have heard time and time again about the need to improve public transport in Greater Christchurch, one of the country’s most rapidly growing areas outside of Auckland. The government itself states that “Christchurch is the economic powerhouse of the South Island, and transport is a critical enabler for economic growth and productivity.”

The NLTP will allow us to improve frequency on one core route only, but we need to see substantial improvement across the network to drive strong patronage growth, and to ensure we reap the benefits from investment towards a mass rapid transit system in Greater Christchurch. It’s a value-for-money solution to congested roads and the key to improving travel times.

At this pace, we are more than a decade away from getting our public transport services near to where they need to be. Greater central government funding is essential to avoid delays.

A fair share

It’s important to note that funding for the NLTP is drawn from fuel taxes and road user charges. The money that comes from road use in our communities should therefore be put back into our communities. Our bread-and-butter funding is being spread like jam across other regions.

In short, the South Island is being short-changed, with revenue derived here being directed to the North Island.

Canterbury has 12 percent of the population and over 16 percent of the national roading network, but we generally only ever receive around five to eight percent of the NLTP funding.

All we’re asking for is our fair share.

Peter Scott is also Chair of the Canterbury Regional Transport Committee.

Kew Bush – remnant podocarp forest

Also on the trip agenda was Kew Bush – a little-known 3.3ha stand of remnant podocarp forest within Invercargill hospital grounds.

A small group of dedicated volunteers have been devoted carers of this podocarp pocket, undertaking decades of plantings, pest control work, track building and maintenance – naturally with minimal resources.

They share their plight and hope to inspire more like minds to take the reigns and maintain the gains.

Upon returning to base there was also a spartina detection demonstration, and fortunately, Wink did not disappoint.

Success is not maintained in isolation but with support and buy-in from landowners, communities and other groups. Likewise, projects require sufficient inputs early on and the cost of reduced or insufficient resources can quickly stall or reverse any gains. Which is the challenge.

Everyone recognised there are no easy solutions to these challenges but identifying some areas of opportunity and capitalising on these at the right time are all good steps in the right direction – collaboration and partnerships, smarter tools and technology, clear goals, along with knowledgeable and passionate people leading the mahi.

While DOC detection dogs, the Kew Bush volunteers, and many other speakers shared stories of success in their endeavours, what resonated throughout was that not one of these successes, like our own, is immune from the challenge that is ‘maintaining the gains’.

Key rules for the use of stands

• Permanent and temporary structures are not allowed to be built on the bank or bed of a waterway.
• You must not fish within 20 metres of any: tide gate, floodgate, confluence, culvert, weir, groyne, outfall structure, or unlawful diversion. You’re also not allowed to fish from any bridge or vessel.
• Screens are the only device allowed to divert whitebait into a net. They are limited to three metres maximum length, except from a stand where fishing gear length (including screens, nets, pulleys, ropes etc) is a maximum of six metres.

Visit the DOC website for more whitebaiting rules and regulations. If you have specific whitebaiting questions, email whitebait@doc.govt.nz.

Warning about detergent and outdoor burns

At this time of year, we remind whitebaiters not to use detergent or cooking oil in the waterways.

“It is illegal to discharge these products as they can be very harmful to river ecology and the fish that live there,” Steve said.

While enjoying the outdoors, avoid air pollution and stay safe by not making fires on the banks of urban streams, rivers, or regional rivers.

“Most people are doing the right thing but, for those that aren’t, we want to ask them to comply with the regulations to protect the environment and avoid fines.”

How do I report issues?

If you see an activity while out using the waterways that could be damaging the environment, please call Environment Canterbury on 0800 765 588 (24 hours), or use the Snap Send Solve app to report an issue from your mobile phone.

If you are worried about the safety of property or persons, then dial 111. 

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