The council confirmed yesterday Environment Minister David Parker had initiated an investigation of the council in relation to processing hundreds of deemed permit applications into resource consents in the next two years.
Cr Bryan Scott said he welcomed any investigation into "such an important matter".
"At the end of the day, we need to be fit for purpose."
In the meantime, the council needed to "get on with its business", he said.
Cr Gretchen Robertson said everyone sought the same outcome - "a timely transition from historical deemed permits to modern resource consents".
"So we will work positively with the ministry to ensure that happens."
Cr Trevor Kempton said the council should approach the investigation with an "open mind". It was important to maintain a relationship with the minister.
Cr Michael Laws welcomed the decision.
"There has been a failure of governance and leadership that goes back many years."
However, the minister had expressed concern about a decision by the council last year, pushed by Cr Laws, to process the minimum flows concurrently with a larger water project.
This would delay the minimum flow process.
The minister needed to be made aware that imposing minimum flows in the Manuherikia, Arrow and Cardrona River systems without the scientific and hydrological background could be "just as dangerous as doing nothing", Cr Laws said.
The minister's involvement was also welcomed by Cr Andrew Noone.
He did not think past councils were to blame for the challenges.
"You've got to remember central government have lifted the bar. Other ORC councils in the past haven't been dealing with the same national policy statement."
Cr Graeme Bell was "relaxed" about the investigation.
"It'll be what it'll be."
He also stood by his decision regarding the timing of minimum flow work.
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From the ORC website:
Stephen Woodhead has been a regional councillor for 12 years, including the past six years as chairman and three years as deputy chairman before that…Gretchen Robertson has been an Otago regional councillor for the past 12 years…Michael Deaker has just completed his fifth term on ORC…Bryan Scott has been an ORC councillor since 2004…Doug Brown has served as an ORC councillor since 1998.
Clearly some councillors have been there long enough to make a difference if they had wanted to, but have comfortably sat and watched this train wreck compound.