We had Council meeting 591 today and I left it feeling a bit like a ‘rock em sock em robot’, having had two attempts at a code of conduct breach levelled at me and seeing two major decisions defy my logic.

The first involved an opposite view to a Councillor and the second the use of the word ECant in relation to ‘some people say ECant but here (holding up the draft RPS) is the proof, ECan. Apparently, this was disrespectful to staff. Anyway, my view is you have nothing if thats the best you’ve got. (I will post the video asap and you be the judge)

Firstly, the report on whether to notify the Regional Policy Statement and allow the public to consider and submit didn’t get a look in with Councillors Davies, East, McKay, MacKenzie, East, Korako, Scott, Swiggs and Sucknell voting to pause the development of the Regional Policy Statement until January 2026.

I have to say I am somewhat gutted for our staff, those involved to date with its development and the people of Canterbury. The extensive amount of work and many millions of dollars that has gone into the draft to prepare it for notification for public input before the years end, or at the very least engage with the Minister for the Environment to clarify a pathway to notify it prior to January 2026, seems somewhat wasted.

The arguments used revolved around the government having made amendments and put forward some intentions around proposed RMA reforms.

Interestingly staff advice said that the amendments create some ambiguity as to whether all or part of the draft Canterbury Regional Policy Statement is a freshwater planning instrument prevented from being notified under section 80A(4A) made .

We then adjourned for lunch.

I can only wonder what people ate during their break, because the turn around in argument, in my opinion, the polar opposite.

To then vote to engage with the Minister of the Environment to clarify if there is a pathway available to notify Plan Change 8 prior to January 2026, irrespective staff said the ambiguity around the RPS, also impacted this in a similar way.

Anyway it passed, much to the disgust of at least a couple of people in the Public Gallery.

There was a brief adjournment to seek a legal opinion about the possibility of pecunary benefits for some of those voting.

This was particularly relevant in my opinion as Aotearoa Water Action(the group that won in the Supreme Court creating the reason this plan change is proposed) believe the Take & Use will allow the commodifying of water consents and bring financial gain for those who hold them, rather than the allocations being surrendered if the water is not needed for its consented purpose.

Amazing how you can convince yourself black is white after arguing white is black.

Elsewhere in the agenda, we voted to adopt the Dangerous Dams Policy and were advised that ECan has received two appeals to the recent Representation review decision and will be heard on the 22nd January by the Local Government Commission.