Media Release: City Vision Councillors and Albert Eden Local Board candidates
3 October 2010
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has deliberately ignored both the requests of the Eden Albert Community Board and the Auckland City Council to extend the submission period for the Waterview connection project. A request sent by both democratically elected bodies has received the thumbs down from Sarah Gardener who manages consent for the Authority in a letter to the Council dated 30 September.
Councillors Fryer and Casey, representing the Eden Albert ward are accusing the EPA of obeying their political masters in Wellington rather than listening to the locally elected Councillors and Community Board
Councillor Glenda Fryer says: “This is the first big project to go through under the new National and Act Government’s EPA process. That the EPA chooses to ignore the local authorities most affected by this huge multi-billion dollar project in their modest request for an small extension of time for locals to make submission shows just how out of touch they are. Why not allow ten additional days for submissions? Why is the Government’s new agency ignoring logical reason and the request of local elected citizens?”
Councillor Cathy Casey says, “This is not just a minor extension to a residential house by a private landowner who receives the same 20 day period. This is a 40-volume application with 54 resource consents and seven new designations. It impacts on communities, the environment and a Marine Reserve. This hugely complex project swathing through our residential communities need sufficient time for both council and community experts to respond. Auckland communities are being short changed by Wellington politicians and bureaucrats. The EPA has just failed its first test”
Albert Eden Board Candidate Margi Watson says “This National Act Government wants to control this city with absolutely no regard for Auckland, Aucklanders, Auckland City Council or Eden-Albert Community Board to have a democratic say in its future. First we get the CCO for Transport, now we are denied a ten-day extension to the submission period for the biggest transport project ever built in the city.”
Councillors Fryer and Casey conclude: “In its action of turning down our extension request, the Wellington domiciled EPA obviously considers the Government’s tight timeframes are more important than requests from local elected authorities for fairness of process. It is a sad and sorry day for Waterview and Owairaka and is its communities.”
Contacts:
Cr Glenda Fryer 027 272 0816
Cr Cathy Casey 0274 744 231
Albert-Eden Local Board candidate Margi Watson 021 02478947