Guest Editorial: Who do they listen to?

Local councils are once again asking what our priorities are and what council should spend our money on during the next 10 years.

There are several interesting proposals, and in the case of the Whangarei District Council (WDC), it is gratifying to see continuity on key environmental and economic issues.

WDC has done us proud especially with regard to stopping GE experiments and releases on our patch. WDC has a strong precautionary stand and continues to work to maintain our existing valuable GE-free status. It's a fine example of a council honouring its obligations to manage natural resources in a sustainable manner and listening to the community.

WDC is working closely with Auckland, Kaipara and Far North Councils to create an additional tier of protection for our biosecurity, farmers and environment (this is essential due to central government agencies inaction).

In contrast the Northland Regional Council (NRC) inappropriately removed the entire precautionary GE policy from our 10-Year Community Plan during its review in 2009. First we were told that this was just an "oversight", and that the policy would be reinserted. But only half of it was put back.

A full paragraph detailing the NRC's strong precautionary policy regarding GMOs (genetically modified organisms) was removed from our Community Plan, despite a mandate from our communities for strong regulation, or even prohibition, while the risks are being investigated.

Former NRC Chairman Mark Farnsworth said at the time that this paragraph was removed, because the appropriate place for it was in the new Regional Policy Statement (RPS).

But in April, we see all reference to the precautionary GE provision removed from the RPS draft document as well..

Opening the NRC Draft Long Term Plan 2012/22 with the invitation to "help us plan for your future", we now find the NRC smugly saying that they support central governments "Environmental Protection Agency" taking a precautionary approach to GMOs.

Big deal, NRC knows full well that the EPA is not required to take a precautionary approach to GMOs under existing legislation.

I want to know, since the NRC is obviously not listening to its ratepayers, just who are they listening to?