Coastal Hazards; new public transport system; possum control; more tree plantings. These and many more all result from a focus around the council table of climate change, biodiversity and water, which are actually all interconnected in one way or another.
Water is all about quality and also quantity, or security of supply - security of supply for our environment, our human use and our commercial use.
Our water security is under threat. The regional water assessment, while only in draft form, predicts a significant water shortfall by 2040, and only gets worse from then on. Supply intervention work streams from HBRC include managed aquifer recharge and water storage, but confidence regarding getting these off the ground remains low.
Economic development of higher value land use in Wairoa should be included here, as the potential for that district with a more secure water supply is very relevant for our region. Nonetheless, critics remain about any water supply interventions proposed. Meanwhile, the call to tackle climate change, restore and protect our biodiversity, and increase summer river flows rings loud.
Rate rises over the last 3 Long Term Plans (or 9 years) have been significant to ramp-up work in all the areas mentioned above and more. Yet there is no sign of these slowing down if we are to do everything our communities and central government expect. Take into account the borrowings being undertaken alongside, and the true rate rise becomes eye-watering. So, it seems we are at a crossroads. We want to spend more on resource protecting, restoring and enhancing our environment - but then, aren't we going to need a thriving economy, job security and profitable businesses? The very things to help pay for it all?