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photo: Jonathan Liske/LDR
North Otago farmer David Douglas said he was tired of too many layers of governance.
He is leading a group campaigning for southern regional councils, from Waitaki to Selwyn, to break away from the Canterbury Environment Regional Council and merge into some form of unitary council.
“We’ve lost control,” he said.
“There is a lot in common between these areas that we are discussing, and we think they can work well if they are governed well.”
Douglas’s Dome Hills farm is located in the Kakanui Ranges, which is split in two by the Otago and Canterbury district council boundary. As member of the Waitaki District Council, he is responsible to three different authorities for the same piece of land.
Douglas is visiting councils from Waitaki to Selwyn to sell the idea of a new breakaway organisation that would be a combination of a territorial and regional council, and appeared at Ashburton District Council last week.
David Douglas’s Dome Hill farm (pictured) in the Kakanui Ranges is split in two by the Otago and Canterbury regional council boundary.
photo:
Along with Douglas was Andrew Simpson, a highland farmer from Balmoral Station and a property developer in the Mackenzie district.
He said three levels of government control — local, regional and central — were too many.
Andrew Simpson owns Balmoral Station on the shores of Lake Tekapo. (File photo)
photo: RNZ/Maya Burry.
“We need to get rid of those extra layers of governance that complicate making the right decisions.”
Douglas and Simpson said the merger would counteract the growing urban influence on rural issues, consent costs and processes.
The two also said local councils were too politicized and overstaffed.
Sheep at Andrew Simpson’s Balmoral Station. (File photo)
photo: RNZ Insight/Maya Burry
Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown asked if they thought it would be better to turn the six councils into “one super council” or create a South Canterbury Regional Council to cover the areas.
Douglas said that despite the use of the term unitary parliament, there were several models to be considered and parliament needed to work out what form it would take.
Whatever form it takes, the big question is how representation works, Douglas said.
“Mayors have told me the current model is unsustainable.”
He said it was a unique opportunity for the regions to come together and “take control of our region’s destiny.”
The sales pitch has sparked interest from Ashburton Council, but councillors have not said whether they support the idea.
Mr Brown said he would raise the issue at the next Canterbury Mayors’ Forum later this month, when Douglas completes his visit to all six councils.
Environment Canterbury MP for Mid Canterbury Ian McKenzie, speaking in Ashburton, suggested the proposed reforms to representation boundaries could be the catalyst for such a separation.
A spokesman for Environment Canterbury said the regional council was aware of the discussions “but it was up to central government to decide”.
– LDR is a local news organisation jointly funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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