The Star: March 09, 2017

The Star 15
News
Move to restrict water take
• By Tom Doudney
MEASURES TO restrict,
suspend or revoke water
take consents in a catchment
which feeds the ailing Selwyn/
Waikirikiri River will be
investigated.
The river has had record low
flows this summer and has dried
up along large stretches, including
at once popular swimming
spots such as Coes Ford.
Environment Canterbury will
look into two possible options
to help address the situation
and report back to the Selwyn
Waihora Zone Committee.
One option is that ECan
could issue a temporary water
shortage direction allowing it to
restrict or suspend taking water
from the catchment feeding
the river. Under the RMA, a
water shortage direction can be
applied when there is “a serious
temporary shortage of water”
which could not have been predicted.
It would expire after 14
days but could be renewed.
ECan chief operating officer
Don Rule said this could potentially
affect up to 63 consents in
an area south of Rolleston, of
which about 46 were thought
to have a strong connection to
the river. It was not known how
many of these consents were
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March 11-12
already on restrictions.
The other option which
will be looked at is a potential
ratepayer-funded review of “at
the very least” several hundred
water take consents in the vicinity
of the river but Mr Rule said
this would be a longer process.
Such a review would enable
ECan to look at whether any
consents should be altered or
revoked.
“The focus would be on surface
and shallow ground water
takes initially,” Mr Rule said.
“Based on my experience,
consent reviews would certainly
not affect this irrigation season,
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SAD STATE: The Selwyn River has almost dried up at Coes
Ford.
PHOTO: RICHARD COSGROVE ​
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at best they would apply to next
irrigation season.”
Both options would be open
to challenge in the Environment
Court.
Zone committee chairman Allen
Lim supported ECan investigating
the measures but said it needed to
be remembered that climate was
the main factor affecting the current
state of the river.
“If you have to attribute the
amount of effect on the Selwyn
River level, all the science that
we know of says that 15 - 20 per
cent is attributed to irrigation,
the rest of it is just climate,” Mr
Lim said.
INNOVATIVE: Australasia’s first SingularityU summit was held in
Christchurch in November.
PHOTO: NEIL MACBETH
Government pays
$38,000 for SingularityU
• By Bridget Rutherford
THE GOVERNMENT spent
more than $38,000 sending
28 staff to the SingularityU
conference in Christchurch.
Information released under the
Official Information Act show
the Ministry of Business, Innovation
and Employment spent
$31,986 on conference tickets for
28 staff. On top of that it spent
$6447 on flight travel costs for
those who went.
Nineteen Callaghan Innovation
staff attended, costing
$23,821.
The Government agency helps
businesses succeed through
technology.
Its chairwoman, Sue Suckling,
was one of the guest speakers.
Seven MBIE staff went, at a cost
Thursday March 9 2017
of $10,426, while two staff from
economic development and trade
promotion agency, New Zealand
Trade and Enterprise, attended
costing $4184.
The American conference, held
on November 14-16 at Horncastle
Arena, looked into fast-growing
technologies and how they were
likely to change the economy,
society and the job market.
It was organised by Ministry
of Awesome co-founder Kaila
Colbin.
The city council put $70,000
into the conference out of its
Capital Endowment Fund. Tickets
were priced up to $3495.
An MBIE spokeswoman said
it helped staff better understand
the potential impact of emerging
technologies and how they would
affect New Zealand.
SMALL CHANGE
MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE
Twice a year we clear the Community Fund collection boxes at
Christchurch Airport and share the money across the community.
Kiwi dollars, international currency, small change from your cup
of coffee, plus a top-up donation from us, all add up for local
charities and community projects.
Charities and community groups
can apply for funds at
christchurchairport.co.nz/communityfund
180 Degrees Trust uses outdoor adventures to inspire
and teach life skills to vulnerable Canterbury youth, to
develop self-awareness, confidence and decision making
skills and so initiate a turnaround in young people’s lives.
Christchurch Airport proudly supports the 180 Degrees
Trust through the Community Fund.