Four vie for Environment Canterbury's North Canterbury ward

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

Four candidates are vying to represent North Canterbury on the Canterbury regional council, Environment Canterbury (ECan).

Incumbent councillors Grant Edge and Claire McKay are being challenged by Kaikōura environmental planner Rachel Vaughan and Loburn farmer Shaun Lissington.

While the other three candidates are Waimakariri-based, Vaughan is the only candidate from the northern part of the region.

She worked as a planner for the Kaikōura District Council for 16 years and has worked for both ECan and the West Coast Regional Council.

“I was born in Waimakariri, so I’m North Canterbury through and through,” Vaughan said.

“The north can be forgotten in terms of material resources, but Hurunui and Kaikōura are so important to the region.

“I think Grant has done really well ingoing round the whole constituency, but I think coming from up here will be really valuable.”

Resource Management Act reform and changes to freshwater and indigenous biodiversity management loomed as the biggest challenges for the regional council and these had major implications for Hurunui and Kaikōura, she said.

Lissington is a dryland dairy grazer and “a very proud farmer”.

“It’s a big ask trying to unseat sitting councillors, but I’m going to give it a crack.”

Financial and environmental sustainability were his priorities.

Rates affordability and prioritising spending needed to be the focus for the council going forward, he said.

“Regardless of people’s views on climate change, you only have to look at Nelson and Marlborough to see that it’s real and I don’t think we are doing enough to protect the environment.”

Two-term councillor, McKay said her priorities were ensuring communities had a voice and making sure the council was ‘‘fiscally responsible’’.

Navigating central government reform, ensuring a safe and reliable public transport service for the Greater Christchurch area and climate change were the biggest challenges facing the council, she said.

“As a region, we need to focus on how we adapt and mitigate the risks from climate impacts. Flooding, droughts, sea level rise and erosion are the key risks.”

Managing the region’s rivers and improving community resilience were other priorities.

Edge is seeking a second term on the council.

He said the potential long-term impacts of climate change, with rising sea level and the increased frequency of storm events, loomed on the horizon.

“Rivers have been confined by stopbanks, but as sea level rise it puts pressure on the rivers and the water comes back up the river, we need to think about more creative responses.

“For example, if you look at the Kaiapoi River, we’re facing a situation of it not being able to get out to sea. So, it’s a combination of protection and adaptation.”

The Greater Christchurch spatial plan would ask some “big questions” around property rights and where people can live in the future, Edge said.

“It will be quite stressful for some people.

“Where they once thought they could live, they will no longer be able to.”

Improving public transport was another issue for Waimakariri residents, with services like the MyWay service being trialled in Timaru a potential option to link communities and offer flexibility.