Editorial: Keep us involved in dam process

Hawke's Bay Regional Council chief executive Andrew Newman at the site of the proposed Ruataniwha Dam near Tikokino.

The announcement yesterday that "enough" users had signed up to take water from the Ruataniwha dam was, predictably, met with mixed reaction.

The Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company reported to the regional council at a packed meeting that there was "sufficient water sign-up for the scheme to be cash positive".

A condition of the council investing a remaining $66 million into the dam was that there had to be a water sign-up of 45 million cubic metres by April 18. Until yesterday, the public did not know if this had been met.

At the council meeting, we found out that the target had not (really) been reached, but that the investment company and its board think the dam is viable. The company's chief executive, Andrew Newman, said 196 users had signed up to 42.8 million cubic metres of water, and the company had a further 3million cubic metres "in an advanced stage of negotiation".

So, while the council has yet to say what it will do, supporters and opponents of the project have used the figures to validate their position.

Putting all that aside, the key point is that now, more than ever, we need transparency.

If HBRIC is determined to push this through, and if the council keeps voting 5-4 in favour as it has done in the past, then we need to be kept better informed.

Yesterday's release of figures did have a stage-managed feel to it and the last thing we need is smoke and mirrors around the release of vital information.

Public scrutiny and debate is the only way to ascertain if this huge project has the potential to be the saviour of our province or if it will be a millstone around our necks.