Environment Canterbury bill passed under urgency

The Government has been given the power to replace Environment Canterbury's councillors with a panel of commissioners under a bill passed by Parliament tonight after a marathon debate under urgency and fierce opposition from Labour and the Greens.

Environment Minister Nick Smith says the Government had no option because Canterbury's water management was a shambles, there was no resource management policy and the community had lost faith in the councillors' ability to deliver on their statutory responsibilities.

But Christchurch Central MP Brendon Burns, Labour's lead speaker in the debate, says the legislation is an assault on democracy.

"This is about the replacement of a democratic council function by executive fiat -- the Fiji solution," he said tonight during the third reading debate on the bill.

"This is a two-fingered salute to the people of Canterbury -- we haven't even had a flicker of democratic process here with this bill rammed through under urgency."

Mr Burns said all the power rested with Dr Smith and the commissioners would simply carry out the Government's agenda.

"They're going to be paid, I will wager, the thick edge of $1000 or more a day -- that's five times what an elected councillor would be getting," he said.

"All the power rests with the Minister for the Environment and he says 'trust me, I will look after Canterbury's interests'. Well, I don't trust him."

Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said Prime Minister John Key told MPs at the opening of Parliament this year that the Government would take action to remove regulatory roadblocks to water storage and irrigation in Canterbury.

"The Government has decided that the elected councillors in Canterbury are part of the regulatory roadblocks and they have decided to remove them," he said.

"The Government has also decided that water conservation orders -- the national parks for rivers and lakes -- are also a regulatory roadblock to more irrigation and water storage in Canterbury, and so they're going to be removed as well."

Dr Norman said free access to water had been a boon to the dairy corporations and the irrigation companies.

"This bill is being set up in order to allow more access -- as if there hasn't been enough -- to more of the water resources of Canterbury so more rivers can be dammed, more rivers can be drained, and more water can be polluted."

Dr Smith said the Government's intervention was warranted.

"Our response is measured, it is reasonable, and it is appropriate under the circumstances," he said.

"This isn't a step we wanted to take but it represents the best chance to move water management in Canterbury forward."

Dr Smith said the commissioners were an interim measure and would be there only as long as they needed to complete their mission.

"I think all members know, in their heart of hearts, that the Government had no choice but to act," he said.

"This government is going to rise above politics and deliver improved water management for New Zealand."

Former public service chief executive Dame Margaret Bazley has been appointed to head the commission. Up to six commissioners are still to be appointed.

The Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill passed its third reading on a vote of 64 to 58. National, ACT and United Future supported it. Labour, the Greens, the Maori Party and the Progressive Party opposed it.