The Far North Environment Centre’s office will be closed between:

18th December and 9th January

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

The map below represents the results of the Doubtless Bay freshwater quality samples taken on 7th December 2010. For more information on the monitoring programme and all the results, please click here.

Environment Centre's

Draft Feedback to

 Regional Policy Statement

You now have the opportunity to help shape the future environment of Northland and support the well being of all its inhabitants by having your say in the Northland  Regional Council's upcoming review of its Regional Policy Statement. This review not only gives you the opportunity to respond to the Council's discussion paper, it gives you the chance to put forward what you think is important for Northland's future development. We have included the link to the discussion document here.

http://www.nrc.govt.nz/Your-Council/Council-Projects/New-Regional-Policy-Statement-/Discussion-Document/

... and we have summarised some of the issues that we feel need a public response. By either using the feedback forms on the NRC website  or adding your name and details to the responses we have included below (modifying as you see fit) you can help to create the Northland that your children will be proud of.

Please take a few minutes to read the summary below and spend at least a few minutes 'getting in the loop' of this importance process.

Summary - including notes from the NRC's background 'thinkpiece' for the RPS:

The Regional Policy Statement is an over-arching document that guides regional and district authorities as they create plans and fulfill their roles as environmental managers. It is a requirement of the Resource Management Act that regional authorities develop the Policy Statement in consultaion with the community and review it on a 10 yearly basis.

Section 59 of the RMA states:

The purpose of a regional policy statement is to achieve the purpose of the Act by providing an overview of the resource management issues of the region and policies and methods to achieve integrated management of the natural and physical resources of the whole region. (underlining added for emphasis)

Section 62(1) sets out the mandatory content requirements for regional policy statements beginning with:

(a) The significant resource management issues of the region.  

In the context of resource management planning, an ‘issue’ is generally defined as an existing or potential problem that must be resolved to promote the purpose of the RMA.

Issues may be to do with the effects of human use and development of the natural environment or with the information needs and processes required to manage these effects.

Importantly there is also now the requirement for regional and district plans to “give effect to” the RPS.

The 2002 amendments to the Local Government Act expanded the powers of regional councils including the allowance for them to play a broad role in promoting the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of their communities, taking a sustainable development approach.     

Until the Policy Statement actually contains a definition of 'sustainability', much of its content will lack real clarity. The following definitions are food for thought as we consider just what 'sustainability' means in the context of our community and our aspirations for its future.    

"Weak sustainability is where the three elements are seen as being able to be substituted for or traded off against each other with the proviso that there is no net loss in the total man-made and natural capital. For example, part of the natural environment may be allowed to be degraded - to provide for urban expansion or industrial development for example – provided that there is a concomitant increase in social or economic well-being to compensate for the loss.

In strong sustainable development, economic development is a central consideration but it is encompassed within the wider range of activities and issues contributing to societal well-being (which extend beyond the economic). More importantly, both the economy and society are seen as needing to work within natural environmental limits as discussed above. 

In the context of the overarching NRC’s Regional Growth Programme, a central political consideration in the review of the RPS will be whether protection and enhancement of the natural environment within growth areas is considered a primary or discretionary constraint, i.e. what value is placed on the environment. 

Relevant RPS provisions (as summarised in the NRC's background to the RPS docment) could include:                         

• Express reference to the Regional Growth Programme
• Support for informal landuse planning techniques, e.g. structure planning
• Express recognition of the importance of regional infrastructure to social and economic well-being 
• Policies and methods relating to the capture and provision of relevant information on different sectors within the regional economy for use in RMA planning and consent processes 
• Specific policy direction to address trade-offs (within legal bounds) between the economic, social and environmental outcomes in relation to key industry or infrastructural proposals 
• Promotion of further streamlining of consent processes to reduce transaction costs particularly where consents from both the NRC and district councils are required.  
• The second generation RPS provides an opportunity to extend that understanding to develop, or encourage the development of, systems-based approaches to resource management. This would facilitate the development of more effective policies and procedures for assessing cumulative effects or for balancing competing values and uses of resources at the planning level.  
• Improved feedback mechanisms to incorporate the results of monitoring into policy and plan preparation and review processes  

Have your say by Email:

The following feedback forms have some suggested responses as compiled by the team here at the Far North Environment Centre.

n.b. Do not email these to the Environment Centre. They need to be sent, with your name and details attached, to mailroom@nrc.govt.nz

Feedback Form - General Comments.doc

Feedback Form - Water.doc

Feedback Form - Infrastructure.doc

Feedback Form - Regional Community Growth.doc

Feedback Form - Integrated Management.doc

Feedback Form - Climate Change.doc

Feedback Form - Soil Conservation and Rural Productivity (incl Minerals).doc

Feedback Form - Tangata Whenua.doc

Feedback Form - Air.doc

If you prefer to start with a blank page and write your own response, download the Word response form relevant to the resource area/s you would like to comment on from the NRC website at feedback forms, save it to your computer. Complete the form and email a copy to NRC at: mailroom@nrc.govt.nz

Have your say by post or fax

Download the pdf feedback forms relevant to the resource area/s you would like to comment on, complete your feedback and post or fax it back to NRC at: New RPS

Northland Regional Council

 Freepost 139690

Private Bag 9021

Whāngārei Mail Centre

Whāngārei 0148

Each summer, Northland Regional Council test the water quality at a number of Northland’s popular coastal and freshwater swimming spots to make sure it’s safe for swimming. 

Testing started on 29 November and will continue for 12 weeks through to March.

Beach water quality for week starting 06 December:

Warning signs have been placed by District Councils at the following sites (please see all the results below):

• No signs have been placed this week. The Far North District Council has since cleared Kerikeri Skudders Beach site.

Status system

NRC give a three tier status system for swimming water quality.  This is based by assessing the risk of contamination at a beach swimming site using levels of the indicator bacteria Enterococci.  Find out more about what NRC test for

Green: safe to swim
Enterococci count less than 140/100ml

Orange: caution, potentially unsuitable to swim
Enterococci count more than 140/100ml

Red: unsafe to swim
Enterococci count more than 280/100ml

This weeks' results:

Far North

Full weekly results available below. View a map of the testing sites.

To view an aerial photo map of the location where the samples were gathered, click on the site name link.

North East (Coopers Beach to Matauri Bay)

Full weekly results available below. View a map of the testing sites.

To view an aerial photo map of the location where the samples were gathered, click on the site name link. 

NOTE: We also randomly sampled the Wairoa Stream at Ahipara, this site was 'safe to swim'.

North West (Hokianga Harbour)

Full weekly results available below. View a map of the testing sites.

To view an aerial photo map of the location where the samples were gathered, click on the site name link. 

South West (Kaipara District)

Full weekly results available below. View a map of the testing sites.

To view an aerial photo map of the location where the samples were gathered, click on the site name link.

South East (One Tree Point to Mangawhai Harbour)

Full weekly results available below. View a map of the testing sites.  

Bay of Islands and Oakura

Full weekly results available below. View a map of the BOI and Oakura testing sites. 

*NOTE: Far North District Council re-sampled the Kerikeri Skudders Beach site on 8/12/2010 and the Enterococci result was <10. 

Tutukaka

Full weekly results available below. View a map of the testing sites. 

Whangarei Heads (including Onerahi and Pataua)

Full weekly results available below. View a map of the testing sites. 

Check before you swim

In general, water can be contaminated and unsafe for swimming if:

• there is a warning sign erected indicating water is unsafe.
• there has been heavy rain recently.
• the water looks dirty (murky).
• there are several potential sources of contamination nearby and upstream such as:
  • houses on septic tanks;
  • stock with access to the water; or
  • a sewage treatment plant discharge. 

Who to contact

NRC are responsible for routine surveillance monitoring. These results are sent to the District Councils and Northland Health, who then carry out follow-up sampling as required and warn the public of any swimming sites that may be unsafe.

For information about a specific area or a warning sign contact your local District Council or the on-duty Health Protection Officer at Northland Health.

Far North District Council
Freephone: 0800 920 029

Whangarei District Council
Phone: 09 430 4200

Kaipara District Council
Phone: 09 439 7059

Northland Health
Phone: 09 430 4100

For general information contact:

Northland Regional Council
Freephone: 0800 002 004

Each summer, Northland Regional Council test the water quality at a number of Northland’s popular coastal and freshwater swimming spots to make sure it’s safe for swimming. 

Testing started on 29 November and will continue for 12 weeks through to March.

Freshwater quality for week starting 06 December:

Warning signs have been placed by District Councils at the following sites (please see all the results below):

• Ocean Beach Stream
• Otamure Bay Stream
• Whangarei Falls
• Coopers Beach Stream
• Omamari Beach Stream
• Langs Beach Stream by toilets

NOTE: No sign has been placed at Waipapa Stream Charlies Rock, as the Far North District Council re-sampled this site on 8/12/2010 and the E.coli result was 364 - Orange: Caution level. Signs are only placed at sites with 'Red: Unsafe' results.

Status system

NRC give a three tier status system for swimming water quality.  This is based by assessing the risk of contamination at a freshwater swimming site using levels of the indicator bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli).  Find out more about what NRC test for

 Green: safe to swim
 E. coli less than 260/100ml

 Orange: caution, potentially unsuitable to swim
 E. coli count more than 260/100ml

 Red: unsafe to swim
 E. coli count more than 550/100ml

This week's results

The table below shows the most recent results for all the freshwater sites sampled in Northland.  All locations are in alphabetical order.

LOCATION	Site No.	Status	Result
Aurere River, at Aurere Beach Road	110324	Green:  Safe to swim	10
Coopers Beach Stream	101870	Red: Unsafe to swim	2602
Kaihu River, at campground	102221	Green:  Safe to swim	122
Kapiro Bridge, at Purerua Road	102838	Orange: Caution	272
Kerikeri, Stone Store	101530	Green:  Safe to swim	197
Lake Coca Cola	110323	Green:  Safe to swim	<10
Lake Ngatu, south end	100402	Green:  Safe to swim	10
Lake Taharoa	105434	Green:  Safe to swim	<10
Langs Beach, toilets	100686	Red: Unsafe to swim	563
Ocean Beach Stream	102077	Red: Unsafe to swim	1081
Omamari Beach Stream	102305	Red: Unsafe to swim	1333
Otamure Bay Stream	108859	Red: Unsafe to swim	1106
Otaua Stream	108510	Green:  Safe to swim	97
Raumanga Stream, Whangarei	103246	Orange: Caution	288
Tirohanga Stream	102252	Orange: Caution	496
Twin Bridges	105973	Green:  Safe to swim	74
Victoria River	104908	Green:  Safe to swim	238
Waipapa Basin, at Charlies Rock	110348	Red: Unsafe to swim *See note below	705*
Waipapa River, Puketi	103248	Green:  Safe to swim	31
Waipoua River, at DOC campground	108613	Orange: Caution	364
Waipu Cove Stream	101207	Green:  Safe to swim	10
Waitangi, at Puketona Reserve	104830	Green:  Safe to swim	160
Waro Lake, Hikurangi	107272	Green:  Safe to swim	<10
Whangarei Falls	105972	Orange: Caution	393

 *Far North District Council re-sampled Waipapa Basin at Charlies rock site on 8/12/2010 and the E.coli result was 364 - Orange: Caution level.  No sign has been placed at this site.

The Chatham Island forget-me-not has won the national poll to find New Zealand’s favourite plant for 2010.  In a vote that appeared to be dominated by the potentially deadly tree nettle (Urtica ferox) the Chatham Island forget-me-not overtook its nearest rival in the final fortnight and never wavered.

The Chatham Island forget-me-not is an iconic megaherb, forming patches up to 1m tall and up to 1.5m diameter. It is endemic to the Chatham Island archipelago where it grows on wild coastal cliffs, rock outcrops, sandy and rocky beaches just above the strand zone and coastal forest openings. With its large blue-flowered inflorescences, it is revered by gardeners nationwide but is threatened with extinction in the wild. 

Supporters of butterfly conservation placed their votes in favour of the tree nettle that is a host plant for the red admiral butterfly. Others suggested that the killer plant was perfect for deterring burglars when planted below windows. 

More than 125 plant species were voted for via the website of the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network – a national on-line repository of information about plants. The more traditional New Zealand plant icons missed out again with the silver fern placing 11th and pohutukawa 23rd.

Previous winners of the annual poll have included pohutukawa, Cook’s scurvy grass and pingao (the golden sand sedge) in 2009.

The Top 10 native plants for 2010 
(view the top 100)

1.    Myosotidium hortensium (Chatham Island Forget-me-not, kopakopa, kopukapuka)    
2.    Urtica ferox (ongaonga, tree nettle)
3.    Sporadanthus ferrugineus (bamboo Rush, giant wire rush)    
4.    Metrosideros bartlettii (rata moehau, Bartlett's rata)     
5.    Rhabdothamnus solandri (New Zealand gloxinia, kaikaiatua)     
6.    Clianthus maximus (kakabeak, Kowhai Ngutu-Kaka)
7.    Cordyline australis (cabbage tree, ti, ti Kouka, palm lily)     
8.     Muehlenbeckia astonii (shrubby tororaro, wiggywig, mingimingi)
9.    Dacrydium cupressinum (rimu, red pine)
10.   Metrosideros robusta (northern rata)

For more information and photographs of these plants click here or :
Contact: John Sawyer (NZPCN Secretary), M: 0210 583 894

http://www.nzpcn.org.nz

Far North District Council

Community Development Meetings in Ahipara

Kiaora tatou,

Ken Ross and Sheryl Bainbridge from FNDC community development department gave a good effort to facilitate a lively community turnout at Korou Kore marae on Tuesday. Talk was coming in fast from the floor, lots of points being made and a lot of agreement about issues concerning the community from both a maori and a pakeha perspective.

This was a different style of hui from that organised the week before at Rarawa Rugby Club, where the participants were more orderly and abided by the council representatives suggestions.

This community meeting got lots of issues written down and suggestions were well documented. The turnout at Korou Kore marae was triple the size of the hui at the rugby club and the participation made good use of the time set down.

Points raised for the council to consider were:

• Distrust of the effectiveness and commitment from FNDC to this planning process
• Environmental issues need to be addressed before any further developments are consented
• Sewerage and pollution from the dump are always raised at any hui in Ahipara so obviously are important
• Motor bikes and attitudes of tourists during the summer needed to be addressed
• The local maori element was an influential process to utilise
• Local community with a long relationship to the area of Ahipara, especially hapu, had an important role to play in advising and managing the future developments in Ahipara.
• Ensuring that the unique character of Ahipara be maintained
• Ensuring that our children experienced the same pleasures that we had, of fishing and gathering shellfish, as being important
• Having an input in to the education system with emphasis on local knowledge being instilled into local Ahipara school curriculum
• Investment into good education resources for Ahipara to ensure positive participation from the youth
• That maori culture, including te reo maori had an important role to play in the 25 year development plan that was to be created

It was a good show of unity from the community of Ahipara, with plans of a community website, better roads and a kura kaupapa as some of the aspirations in a 25 year plan process.

One point made was that our Ahipara community needed to find our own solutions to the issues raised, not look to outside government departments to solve our problems.

Ken suggested that there was not enough time to get any concrete ideas to take back to his office and that another similar hui should be organised for the new year tentatively in February. The ideas were great, but there needed to be more time for the Ahipara community to come together amongst themselves to get some ground work done on the 25 year plan proposal. All in attendance agreed to this, saying that though it is a struggle to make time for these types of hui, it was looked upon as a positive investment into their future and more importantly into the future of the young generation to make this process an effective one and not end up in a box filed away.

More discussion is likely at Korou Kore marae this Friday when local Ahipara Hapu will be serving a lunch for rangatira from Te Hiku o Te Ika consisting of 6 courses from 6 different countries including Russia and Holland. This lunch will be used to bring the community of Ahipara closer together and to experience different ways that they can use the local talent in their community to enhance Ahipara and the whole of Te Hiku o Te Ika.

Mauriora

Rueben

rporter@xtra.co.nz

As a submitter on the resource consent application for the East Coast Bays Wastewater Discharge (Taipa Wastewater Treatment Plant) the Far North Environment Centre has received a letter from Northland Regional Council (below) detailing the outcome of request by the applicant (Far North District Council) for an extension of timeframe.

The Environment Centre will be following up on this process with the Far North District Council, and will be calling for robust hapu and community consultation.

Letter from Northland Regional Council dated 03 December 2010:

Dear Sir or Madam

RESOURCE CONSENT APPLICATION CON20080400701 – EAST COAST BAYS WASTEWATER DISCHARGE – OUTCOME OF REQUEST OF EXTENSION OF TIMEFRAME

This letter is to provide you with an update of the above resource consent application to which you lodged a submission. The applicant has requested an extension of time to investigate land discharge options for the treated wastewater. This request was considered by the Hearings Committee (made up of Mrs Lorraine Hill (Chair) and Mr Hamish Lowe).

The Committee has agreed to the extension of time for a hearing to be held (to 3 June 2011). However, the Committee has issued a direction, pursuant to section 41C(3) of the Resource Management Act 1991 (‘the Act’), that a detailed report be prepared which clearly explains what matters are to be progressed and a timeline of proposed events. The Committee has directed that this report must be submitted to the Council no later than Monday 20 December 2010. In addition, in order for a hearing to be organised by 3 June 2011 the Committee has directed that the final information be provided to the Council by 15 April 2011. This allows time for the additional information to be circulated to submitters if required prior to a 3 June 2011 hearing. To ensure this target date is met, the Committee has also directed that progress reports be prepared and submitted to the Council on 1 February 2011 and 15 March 2011. The extension period requested by the applicant is a worst case scenario and matters may be able to be resolved (including resolving that land discharge is not a viable alternative) earlier than this. If this is the case you will be advised and a earlier hearing date will then be scheduled.

The Committee also notes that if an outcome of the investigations is that land discharge is a viable alternative, then new consents would need to be applied for. If this were the case then further extensions may need to be requested by the applicant for the current application to enable both sets of applications to be considered together.

In extending the timeframes mentioned in this letter, the Committee has taken into account the matters outlined in section 37A(1) of the Act. If you have any queries on this matter, please contact Mr Stuart Savill at our Whangarei office.

Yours faithfully

Rob Lieffering
Consents Senior Programme Manager
Northland Regional Council