Rudman's city: Politicians hold silence as Transit revs up bulldozers

By BRIAN RUDMAN

Where are the politicians when you need one? With a tree-hugging Auckland mayor and a whale-loving Minister of Conservation, I would have thought there would be a race to embrace the cause of Mt Roskill.

But so far not a press release of support has crossed my desk.

The silence has not gone unnoticed. "Why don't THEY stop it?" was the theme of several calls I received after last week's column about Transit New Zealand's determination to plough a motorway through the volcano's foothills.

But THEY, being the people we elect to represent us, kept their heads down.

The only political reaction I did get was from local ward councillor David Hay, whom I had tracked down in the deep South about another matter.

The former mayor of Mt Roskill saw nothing wrong with Transit's motorway plans through his local reserve - which I found ironic from someone who had just finished traversing the natural wonderland of the Milford Track.

Two of the key THEY figures are Transport Minister Mark Gosche, who could tell his officials it's not on, and Conservation Minister Sandra Lee.

It is Ms Lee, acting under the Public Works Act, who has finally to agree to sign over the stretch of Mt Roskill crown reserve land that Transit covets.

Under the act she has no guidelines to follow and no need to consult. The decision is hers alone.

All of which makes me wonder why she doesn't just get on with it, put us all out of our misery and say: "There's no way any more of Auckland's unique volcanoes are going to be nibbled at or butchered while I'm the minister entrusted with their protection."

Even if she does the unthinkable and gives in to the bulldozers, she should signal that intention, too. That way she will save supporters and opponents any more legal and planning consultant costs.

I can't see Ms Lee abandoning Mt Roskill when her department has, as part of its conservation management strategy, a policy of working towards gaining National Reserve status and eventually World Heritage status for the Auckland volcanic cones already protected under the Reserves Act.

The department is working with the National Conservation Board and the Auckland Volcanic Cones Society to advance this policy.

National Reserve status would not only put the volcanic field on the top rung as far as reserves go, but would also strengthen its protected status. No longer could a single minister revoke the reserve status over all or part of it. Such a decision would require an act of Parliament.

The northern slopes of Mt Roskill are not the only parts of the volcanic field at risk from Transit's bulldozers. A piece of Mt Wellington is in the track of the inevitable southeastern arterial highway, and further south, part of the perfectly formed Waiouru explosion crater on the edge of the Tamaki Estuary is threatened by a proposed bridge.

Transit's road-building plans are the large-scale threat to the volcanic field. At risk on a more human level is the mountain land under private ownership. As well as the remnants still being mined for scoria, about 780 residential sections are spread up the slopes of the isthmus cones.

These come under a confused array of zoning requirements. Last July, Auckland City had to buy a section on the slopes of Mt St John to prevent a new residential development that would have risen 2m above the summit.

But the number of properties involved and their premium status make the cost of a public buy-out prohibitive.

What is needed is a unified set of planning controls preserving the status quo. North Shore, Auckland and Manukau City officials have begun preliminary discussions with regional council and conservation department officials about this.

Being canvassed are not just controls on height and new building densities, but also ways of helping owners preserve heritage properties. One suggestion is rates relief in return for preservation convenants on land titles.

Saving our volcanoes not only smacks of common sense, but seems like a vote-winner. Why the politicians haven't latched on, I don't know.