Shedding light on a ‘Just Transition’ workshop in June

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

With the Chief Ombudsman last month laying out his expectation that council workshops be more open and transparent, The Herald followed up a response to that from Gisborne District Council by requesting minutes of the 18 workshops it has held this term.

Minutes from four were refused for commercial sensitivity, protection of parties and potential damage to public interest. Minutes were not taken at four workshops facilitated by PwC. We were told information was or would be available from nine others as part of public consultations.

We received the minutes from one workshop titled A Just Transition for Tairāwhiti, held on June 28.

Six senior council staff, a secretary, the Mayor, eight of the 13 councillors (apologies were received from all five Māori Ward councillors) and two members of a 12-strong Just Transition (JT) team at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment attended.

The JT staff presented on the topic of the workshop, saying Just Transition is a community-led change, often in the light of a low-carbon future but the process could be used in response to any change.

“It is about communities leading their own transition where opportunities and benefits are shared more evenly, addressing impacts that are already there and a process which is both equitable and inclusive.” People most impacted by the change were brought to the centre, making space for their voice and, if possible, their leadership.

Tairāwhiti governance group Rau Tipu Rau Ora had recently requested a Just Transition process for the region.

A petition had also made this call, with 12,450 signatures. More recently the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use report had made recommendations around a Just Transition process.

It was important to the JT team to know what was already happening here; “the region should be saying what it needs and where can we make a difference in working collaboratively”. They would like to hear more on research and development; new industries; workforce skills; existing industries; whenua Māori; new opportunities that are close to home.

A JT process was already under way at Te Karaka, shifting towards decarbonisation as well as building community resilience. On a visit, they were shown “Build Smarter” work including solar panels and batteries with back-up generators.

When the workshop was first planned, they were not looking for the perspective of council, “it was more about each councillor who leads their community to give ideas”.

In relation to decarbonisation plans for Tairāwhiti, a process was being set up to enable community leaders to lead and then get government support.

A regional bio economy project was being supported through the feasibility stage with an iwi collective. “They want to first do the greenwaste and then move to establishing a pellet mill to feed decarbonisation, such as the hospital boilers.” It was only at stage one, the pellet mill was “down the track”, it had been supported by the Ministry for the Environment.