Another says it is "almost shameful" to question the integrity of government ministers who have pledged to work with the council through any unintended consequences of delaying a new plan.
In October last year, the Otago Regional Council cancelled a vote on tough new environmental rules after the government intervened to block the council from notifying its land and water plan ahead of a review of the overarching national policy statement for freshwater management.
This week, councillors voted to ask Environment Minister Penny Simmonds and ministry officials to look for legislative changes that could help the council deal with the fallout from the blocked vote.
Two major issues were identified.
A staff report said most of Otago’s 3300 farms relied on a plan change to operate their farms as a permitted activity, but that plan change (Plan Change 6AA) was due to expire on April 1 next year.
Furthermore, many farmers were granted interim consents to replace historic gold-mining water permits while they awaited the new land and water plan.
Cr Alan Somerville, who consistently voted to progress the land and water plan before it was blocked, said the staff report outlined "significant issues" as a result of the government intervention that prevented the notification of the Otago plan.
"It has been noted that that has been created by the government’s decision last year to remove the notification of the land and water plan.
"Now, using legislation to fix a problem in a regional plan is a terrible solution.
"Unfortunately, it appears to be the only one we’ve got."
Cr Gary Kelliher, who consistently voted to pause work on the plan before it was stopped by the government intervention, said Ms Simmonds had already said she was willing to help the council work through unintended consequences of stopping work on the plan.
To go to the lengths of producing a staff report was "almost shameful" and questioned the minister’s integrity, he said.
"The minister said, ‘if you have issues with us stopping your plan, then of course bring them to us and we will help you with it’.
"Here we are having overthought whether that may or not be something that the minister will consider."
He was surprised the council needed to vote on the matter, Cr Kelliher said.
It was a "no-brainer".
Before the meeting, Federated Farmers Otago president Luke Kane said he planned to meet council chief executive Richard Saunders that week to discuss the issue.
Forcing farmers to obtain a resource consent to continue their everyday farming activities would be "totally impractical" and an "unaffordable farce".
Nobody would buy the argument that the issue was of the government’s making, he said.
"My advice to the councillors would be to wait until after this year’s local body elections before making any decisions - because I’m not sure how many of them are going to get re-elected."
