Yesterday’s wide-ranging council debate also covered whether to notify the plan as scheduled on June 30, whether to commit to a delay but not provide a date and whether or not the council was giving the government "the middle finger".
The decision to extend the notification date by four months — and not wait until the government produces a new national policy statement for freshwater management (NPSFM) — triggers a requirement from Environment Minister Penny Simmonds to provide her a report on the costs, benefits and implications of notifying the plan before the current NPSFM is replaced.
Since late last year, Ms Simmonds and other government ministers have called on the council to await notifying the plan to manage Otago’s natural resources.
Earlier this month, Ms Simmonds rescinded a June 30 deadline for the plan set by former environment minister David Parker and extended the notification date to December 31, 2027.
It emerged during debate yesterday the council has so far spent nearly $18 million to progress its land and water plan.
Yesterday’s vote came after councillors accepted the recommendations of an independent hearing panel on the council’s higher order regional policy statement (RPS).
However, that vote happened with the public excluded and the council has yet to share details of what was discussed or decided.
The decision to delay notification of the land and water plan until the end of October was to give staff time to review the impact of the RPS decision on the draft plan, to prepare the report for the minister, and to ensure feedback on the draft plan, already received, was appropriately considered and factored into the plan.
Chairwoman Cr Gretchen Robertson said the council had simply done what was lawful and what was best for the region, which was "really diverse".
"The council has not been rebellious; we have followed the law — what more can we do?
"Only very recently did our timeframe to deliver a notifiable plan get extended.
"It’s actually quite helpful, I have to say, and that’s been a lot of the discussion today as well."
It was important to review the feedback the council had already received, Cr Robertson said.
"I do think we need time to really give that RPS a good looking over," she said.
Cr Kevin Malcolm said the council had had "a complete change of focus in our RPS", which now needed to be factored into the land and water plan.
Cr Gary Kelliher said the RPS recommendation was in places "quite scathing of how little has been regarded for what happens across the region".
A failed bid to retain the June 30 notification date was led by Cr Bryan Scott, who called other options in front of the council "barely credible".
Cr Andrew Noone said voting for the early notification date would be to affirm a December council decision, then last month’s council decision not to delay notification and would amount to "the third one-fingered salute" the council had given the coalition government.
To those supporting a June 30 notification date, knowing the work staff needed to do, he said, "you’re living on another planet".
Cr Tim Mepham, who supported the early date, said a date was required
"Staff are not volunteers. They are paid professionals and they can do this."
"Delay, delay, delay, there we go again — delay," Cr Alexa Forbes said.
"Under the law, we’ve got to get this out, we’re already at risk of judicial review.
"Let’s do it, let’s go."
In May, councillors will receive an updated work programme from staff.
How they voted
The motion: Council requests that staff prepare the land and water plan for notification by October 31.
FOR: Crs Alexa Forbes, Lloyd McCall, Tim Mepham, Bryan Scott, Alan Somerville, Elliot Weir, Gretchen Robertson.
AGAINST: Crs Gary Kelliher, Michael Laws, Kevin Malcolm, Andrew Noone, Kate Wilson.
