<strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> Thursday <strong>November</strong> 4 <strong>2021</strong> 16 OPINION Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Review of pandemic response needed NATIONAL’S PUSH for an inquiry into the Government’s pandemic response this year focuses specifically on the Delta outbreak and its lead-up. <strong>The</strong> main opposition party says it wants a royal commission to look at what was done to plan for a Delta outbreak in the community. Said leader Judith Collins: “<strong>The</strong>re was no preparation, particularly in the health system for ICU Judith Collins units – the inability to actually prepare for that when other countries were doing it. <strong>The</strong>re was no particular work started on any vaccine certificate.” Collins charged that the Government’s response did not adapt to changing circumstances from the first year of the pandemic. Aspects that needed looking at included testing, the pace of the rollout, Māori vaccination rates, spending, transparency and communication. Calling for an inquiry is a way of pointing out perceived shortcomings and piling political heat on the Government over what has previously happened, just as the party in power is trying keep the public focus on the now and near future. Still, it does highlight some of the many issues that have floated along our pandemic river. In a constantly moving and multifaceted crisis, their impact hasn’t been adequately analysed. <strong>The</strong> basic idea of official scrutiny of a Covid-19 response is not new. A parliamentary inquiry into the United Kingdom Government’s handling of the pandemic there has already been held. Two committees of MPs produced a highly critical report in October into the disastrous initial stages of Covid-19 in Britain. New Zealand’s response and outcomes have been completely different to Britain’s. New Zealand has had 1285 cases and six deaths per one million people compared to the UK’s 131,949 and 2056. This country is mostly since Environment Canterbury climate-change emergency known for elimination, long stretches of safe times, and a slow rollout; the UK for muddled restrictions, early vaccinations and “freedom day”. Yet both countries, as well as others, at some stage, will need independent, comprehensive reviews of what has occurred during the pandemic. Such a review here would need to cover everything, not just a section of it. Lessons need to be drawn about what worked and what didn’t, and what we need to know to prepare for next time. Having been lashed by a previous Sars coronavirus outbreak from China, several countries and territories in Asia had a headstart in understanding how to deal with this one. Internationally, the pandemic response mostly continues to be country and region-based when a more widely organised effort would be more effective against the virus. <strong>The</strong>re are few signs a new pandemic would be dealt with in a more co-operative way. In New Zealand we know that border closures and quick lockdown coupled with financial support are crucial initial responses and that access to medical equipment, staff and treatments are essential. Here a review would need to consider questions such as whether health guidance to the public kept up with changing information overseas; whether restrictions criteria were too broad and bureaucratic; whether time bought by closed borders and the first lockdown was wasted in terms of improving the MIQ system and medical supplies; whether the vaccine rollout could have been quicker and different groups should have been prioritised. <strong>The</strong>re’s a lot more besides that needs to be analysed so that we don’t face the next pandemic from square one. <strong>The</strong> desire to return to the comforts of normality work against the idea of stopping to assess past events. – NZ Herald Respect the habitat of ground-nesting birds by sea-level rise this century and threatened and DELICATE: facing increased It’s no secret that many of the our productive and protected land pressures due Braided to river system world’s species and ecosystems Environment jeopardised by the arrival and change. rivers are are on the precipice. <strong>The</strong>re has spread of new, exotic weeds and Wetlands are a habitat also ecosystems been a lot written lately on what Canterbury Chair pests from warmer climates. at-risk nationally of unique and regionally, the future may look like for New All these eventualities have degraded by bird draining, species Jenny Hughey damming Zealand’s flora and fauna if we to be planned and prepared for, and diversion such affecting as their continue our current path. <strong>The</strong> the wrybill. stories can make for grim reading. and enhance that work. fleet hybrid or long-range electric and Environment Canterbury ability to sequester carbon, Motor I WAS That disappointed work included to read setting yet season, by 2022. and Carbon with the emissions population from will remain in the vanguard of cleanse freshwater vehicles and are mitigate It’s important, then, that we all again up a climate-change that some four-wheel integration drive of air many travel of these across birds the species organisation in these climate change efforts. flooding, as well a danger as impacting on enthusiasts are putting vulnerable birdlife at risk by taking their time for determining their future Waimakariri River flood With biosecurity, a precarious place, it’s a crucial One example is the $40 million biodiversity and try to grasp what this means for programme in the Long-term Plan are offset via our own biodiversity to nesting mahinga kai. our country. In doing our bit, or 2018-28, ensuring climate change programmes. sites. we are vehicles onto the braided rivers prospects. protection project, completed putting greater emphasis on the at least understanding the plight was actively considered across According to a Madworld report – in this case the Ashley River/ This is why predator traps are by curbing late last certain year. <strong>The</strong> activities network at of these nesting risks of colonies new pests can establishing of these precious species and supporting the efforts of those trying cause workstreams, increasing visibility in 2019, our gross emissions were Rakahuri. placed around these sites. It’s also certain floodgates times. and stopbanks will tremendous in Canterbury. harm to these Warming bird of the science and what we know 2253 tonnes of carbon dioxide to help, we don’t just save our Our braided rivers are a special why we place signs and concrete Doing protect so doesn’t half a million just show people an and colonies, temperatures, seriously undermining changing soils and flora and fauna, we nurture some place about for the many impact recreationists, of climate but blocks (CO2) around equivalent, these areas compared asking with understanding $8 billion of community the challenges and their survival new land prospects; uses mean and new is weeds of most positive aspects of being they change are on also Canterbury, a special place and for liaising people removals to stay of off 7883 the tonnes riverbeds, of CO2- faced business by these assets bird species, from a it possible heartbreaking especially, to those will be who able have to gain human. a some on the truly issue unique with iwi bird and species, regional especially equivalent from through September our efficiency shows “super respect flood”. for all the work that dedicated better painstaking foothold time across and the region. such partners, as the other wrybill local and authorities banded through efforts to and the from end of forestry January. planting goes on <strong>The</strong> behind last major the scenes flood to was give in energy (often More voluntarily) broadly, we into have to dotterel. and central government. I’m across not 2700 asking hectares. • Cr Jenny Hughey is chair everyone in the these December birds a fighting 1957, chance when parts – the preserving curb these reliance species. on fossil fuels and More As an to organisation, the point, these we rivers have community <strong>The</strong> changing to become climate devout will pose of the Canterbury Regional building, of Coutts installing Island and in checking Belfast and That find should environmentally be incentive suitable are also their made habitat significant – the environment addressing that they our are own uniquely greenhouse- protectors in Canterbury. of these In vulnerable recent years progress in conservationists many risks to or life passionate and livelihood Council (Environment of predator Kainga traps; were swamped the river maintenance; flow and peaking the field at 3990 research cubic extra incentive hydrogen, may to power be found our public by river enough alternatives, to do the right such thing, as electricity but Canterbury) and adapted gas emissions, to and the with place our they species; we have but seen I am how asking occasional, that and monitoring. in knowing that those found to depend Christchurch on for their building survival. receiving a we but at least extreme, respect weather their habitat, events have metres per second (cumecs). transport. It’s a year since Environment A careless <strong>The</strong> protection or indifferent scheme act has by been Canterbury have killed When protected my predecessor wildlife Steve “market-leading” This habitat is especially energy efficiency understand had huge their effects delicate on residents predicament, infrastructure and do the around decent thing the South designed to defend Christchurch Lowndes retired as chair of and someone taking a 4WD or motorcycle onto the riverbed and into imprisonment. can receive hefty fines and even important rating of 5.0 during out of the 6 nesting the year to February declared on the National Island. a climate-change emergency from a flood of as much as 6500 this council late last year, he cumecs. highlighted some of the big Australian JENNY Built HUGHEY Environment explains what <strong>The</strong> driest parts of our region, Environment Canterbury’s by sea-level changes rise on this the century way. He and was threatened and facing increased Rating the System council New has Zealand. been doing. along the Marlborough coast and leadership of biodiversity and our optimistic productive and we would protected be land able to pressures due to river system <strong>The</strong> building’s features include across much of the Canterbury Environment DO <strong>The</strong> formal YOU declaration of a PREPARE biosecurity FOR programmes is also jeopardised deal with by the “pressing arrival and issues” of change. 184 solar state panels of climate which emergency can across Plains, are expected to get even underpinned by climate-change spread climate of new, change exotic and weeds sustainability. and Wetlands are also ecosystems Canterbury generate Canterbury more than was 55,000 one of the most drier. North-westerly storms SUMMER Chair are pests from warmer climates. at-risk nationally and regionally, concerns. I share his confidence. As a kilowatt serious, hours and of electricity colourful, moments per predicted to become more Jenny intense, Hughey All these eventualities have degraded by draining, damming need Canterbury’s distinct braided community, and as a council, year. in the regional council’s more than Request a free to be planned and prepared for, and diversion affecting their with torrential alpine rainstorms rivers and unique wetlands face we are taking some bold steps to 30-year history. <strong>The</strong>re has been a 26% reduction turning and enhance our braided that work. rivers measure into and fleet A year ago this Saturday, many hybrid challenges. or long-range <strong>The</strong> rivers electric and Environment Canterbury ability to sequester carbon, form ensure we are in a better place to per staff at member 11.49am, Environment in emissions roaring That rapids, work included fuelling landslides setting by a vital 2022. ecological Carbon emissions link and from will remain in the vanguard of cleanse freshwater and mitigate provide cope with the changing climate up a climate-change integration quote from air travel across the organisation these climate change efforts. flooding, as well as impacting on since 30 Canterbury June 2010. became We now New have Zealand’s and causing widespread erosion. an abundant food supply and One and example the tests is the it $40 will million set us. But biodiversity and mahinga kai. programme in the Long-term Plan are offset via our own biodiversity access first to electric council and to proclaim hybrid such an Canterbury’s 2018-28, ensuring coastal HomePlus. climate change programmes. nesting grounds for 26 species of Waimakariri there will River always flood be a need to do With biosecurity, we are vehicles emergency, and hope formally to have dedicating half our communities was actively will considered be threatened across native According birds to – most a Madworld classified report as protection more. project, completed putting greater emphasis on the itself to consideration of climate late last year. <strong>The</strong> network of risks of new Measured, pests establishing made a new insect or workstreams, increasing Make visibility the most in 2019, of the our gross emissions were change at the heart of all it does. floodgates and stopbanks will in Canterbury. and installed Warming by our security of the science and what we know 2253 tonnes of carbon dioxide <strong>The</strong> declaration solution? warm weather while highlighted protect half a million people and temperatures, team changing of experts. soils and about the impact of climate (CO2) equivalent, compared with that all the work Environment still being secure. $8 billion of community and new land uses mean new weeds change on Canterbury, and liaising removals of 7883 tonnes of CO2- Canterbury does – from business assets from a possible especially, will 5 year be able warranty. to gain a on the issue with iwi and regional equivalent through our efficiency freshwater management to “super flood”. better foothold across the region. partners, other local authorities efforts and from forestry planting biodiversity and biosecurity, <strong>The</strong> last major flood was in More broadly, we have to AWNINGS & BLINDS BALUSTRADES and central FENCING government. & GATES INSECT across SCREENS 2700 hectares. LOUVRE ROOFS SECURITY SCREENS SHOWERS WARDROBES & DOORS transport and urban development December 1957, when parts curb reliance on fossil fuels and to air quality, and also regional As an organisation, we have <strong>The</strong> changing climate will pose of Coutts Island in Belfast and find environmentally suitable leadership – has a climate change also made significant progress in many risks to life and livelihood Kainga were swamped by river alternatives, such as electricity and 88 Gasson St, Sydenham | 03 379 focus. addressing 3740 | our www.homeplus.co.nz own greenhousegas emissions, with our we have seen how occasional, metres per second (cumecs). in Canterbury. In recent years flow peaking at 3990 cubic hydrogen, to power our public Currently, under the Resource transport.
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