Inquiry panel chair Parata backs ‘even-handed’ report

Ministerial Inquiry panel chair Hekia Parata with a copy of the panel’s report at a press conference yesterday. Picture by Liam Clayton

“We can substantiate all of it.”

Land Use in Tairawhiti inquiry chairwoman Hekia Parata adamantly defended her panel’s report when it was released at a press conference in Gisborne yesterday.

Responding to Mayor Rehette Stoltz’s concerns, she said she respected the Mayor’s views (see story, page 2).

The Mayor could take them to Cabinet. That was her  prerogative, Ms Parata said.

“The commentary about (the council’s) failure of leadership and governance in respect of planning documents — we can substantiate that. But so can any ordinary person who can see.

“Forests are not invisible and we can see a number of them are planted on land that they should not have been planted on.”

“We can see and know that the water infrastructure was fragile before Cyclone Gabrielle and it was not repaired before then.”

The community had been subjected to six to eight weeks of poor water, she said.

There were also roading issues.

“I could go on.”

Mrs Parata said even if the unsexy business of planning documents was not top of mind for many, what had happened in the district was due to poor planning, monitoring and compliance, but also to “some bad-faith actors in the forestry and land-use community”.

She described the report as even-handed and within the Terms of Reference to fix up the issues.

There was evidence to identify where accountability lay.

“At the extremes, it is with the forestry sector and with the failure of governance by Gisborne District Council.”

There were also faults “all along the continuum” where common sense should have prevented some decisions from being made.

Mrs Parata said Gisborne District Council was a unitary council and with Wairoa District Council had a small rating base, faced complex issues and national directions which established parameters.

“You have to ask ‘is this a possible task for anyone?’

“Help was needed. Help could be on the way.”

The recommended resource management commissioner for the district was not a punishment.

“It’s the cavalry.”

It could help an “overwhelmed” council trying to make the best decisions within their available resources.

Trade-offs had to be made in such an environment.

“We understand that. We question the wisdom of particular trade-offs.”