Environment Minister Penny Simmonds says she is continuing to work with her team to identify upcoming opportunities to meet with Otago regional councillors.

The latest news from her Parliamentary office stated there was still a commitment to the regional council to have input into the new National Policy Statement - Freshwater Management (NPS-FM).

This follows the decision by the Government in October to amend legislation halting regional council work on their freshwater plans, and stopping the ORC from notifying theirs after years of work.

In a statement to The Central App yesterday, Minister Simmonds said work continued to replace the NPS-FM and as part of that process, the team was keen to continue to engage with regional councils across the country in addition to those she has met with - including the ORC.

A meeting took place with regional councillors and Ministry for the Environment staff in late January, but Minister Simmonds was busy in Parliament at the time.

The new national policy framework was expected to take effect on December 31. In the meantime, Otago’s draft land and water regional plan was still on hold.

Cr Gary Kelliher said as a minister, he believed Penny Simmonds “didn’t need to be involved in the donkey work,” and should have faith in the ministry to work with the ORC, and follow the process through.

‘’… and while in an ideal world of course Otago should have input into its direction, ORC have shown themselves to be untrustworthy biased participants.”

As a farmer, Cr Kelliher has always maintained there was room for a new freshwater policy statement that both protected the environment and also provided for the economy, he said..

Crs Michael Laws and Alexa Forbes were also contacted about their take on the issue heading into the first council meeting of the year, but did not respond to emails by deadline.

The Otago Regional Council will meet next week when more on the NPS-FM is discussed. 

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