Minutes 4 July 2012 - Environment Southland

Minutes of the Regional Services Committee
Meeting of the Southland Regional Council,
held in Regional House, corner North Road
and Price Street, Invercargill, on
Wednesday, 4 July 2012 at 1.43 pm
____________________________________________
Present: Cr J B Mason (Acting Chair)
Cr E R Currie
Cr R L Guyton
Cr N G Horrell
Cr G R Hubber
Cr P R Jones
Cr M A Rodway
Chairman A M Timms – departed 2.15 pm
In Attendance: Mr G A Alsweiler (Acting Chief Executive)
Mr N Hinton (Catchment Management Manager)
Mr K R Swinney (Policy & Planning Manager)
Mr R G Bowman (Biosecurity Manager)
Mr D Burgess (Senior Biosecurity Officer – Pest Animals)
Mr R Milne (Senior Biosecurity Officer – Pest Plants)
Mr S Henry (Biosecurity Officer – Pest Plants)
Ms A Lagerstedt (Biosecurity Officer – Pest Plants)
Ms A Rush (Biosecurity Officer – Information)
Mr C Smith (Biosecurity Officer – Pest Animals)
Ms E Ryley (Executive Support Secretary)
1 Welcome
Cr Mason welcomed members to the meeting.
2 Apologies
Resolved:
Moved Cr Horrell, seconded Cr Currie, that apologies for
absence be recorded on behalf of Cr G R Cockburn (Leave of
absence granted), and the Department of Conservation
representative.
2012 July 4 Regional Services Committee minutes.doc
Carried
Environment Southland is the brand name of
the Southland Regional Council

Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
3 Public Forum, Petitions and Deputations
Cr Mason welcomed Eric Roy, the National MP for the Invercargill electorate, and
Mr Grant McGregor of the Aparima River Liaison Committee, to the meeting.
Mr Roy provided the Council with information on the Game Animal Council
(GAC), proposed to be established as part of a national wild game management
strategy, with a view to it becoming a statutory authority. The GAC’s prime role
would be to advise the Ministry of Conservation on issues pertaining to hunting
matters and the Ministry might consider and give responsibility to the various
sections of the animal hunting fraternity to manage certain responsibilities, e.g. to
the Fiordland Wapati Association.
Mr Roy explained that the Bill was currently before the Select Committee and that
over 400 submissions had been presented. The Government would commit
$50,000 into the initial establishment of the GAC and it intends to impose a levy
on all game animal trophies leaving New Zealand.
Mr Roy made the following comments in relation to the GAC:-
� it was not envisaged that there would be a restriction of current
New Zealand hunting practice;
� it is to give opportunities for the management to certain groups;
� it will provide for warranted enforcement officers to have a role where illegal
or unacceptable activities are taking place;
� it is envisaged that the Bill will set up a Council of nine to 11 members
appointed by the Ministry and drawn from a variety of sections – key is that
this is to reduce conflict and get better outcomes both environmentally and
in the management of issues creating current tension.
Mr Roy responded to various questions raised by the Councillors. He explained
that the GAC was needed for many reasons, such as the fact that many animals in
some places are pests and do not need to be encouraged to be shifted to other
places. Chairman Timms talked about a tool that the Council currently utilised, its
Regional Pest Management Strategy, and advised she was concerned that the GAC
would hold too much power and say, and would want to preserve numbers of
animals. Mr Roy advised that great care would be taken to craft legislation so that
it did not increase the numbers or availability of pest animals. Cr Guyton asked if
the powers of the new GAC would cross over the powers the Council holds.
Mr Roy stated that would not be the case, this was to segment off issues around
tension and to be designated in some specific areas. It was not to over-ride the
Ministry of Conservation or Local Government.
Cr Mason thanked Mr Roy for his presentation to the Council.
[Chairman Timms departed at 2.15 pm]
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Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
4 Notification of Extraordinary and Urgent Business
4.1 Supplementary Reports
There were no supplementary reports tabled for inclusion in the agenda.
4.2 Other
There were no other items of business raised for inclusion in the agenda.
5 Questions
Intensification of land use: Cr Rodway referred to the intensification of
agriculture in the region occurring, particularly on riverbed land, some of which is
private land but much of which is administered by LINZ and DOC or the District
Council. He showed examples of the areas on coloured maps and asked the
following questions:-
Aparima River Bayswater area
� why is there rock rip rap placed into the middle of the riverbed land, rather
than on the edge of the river berm, for flood capacity reasons;
� is this land being farmed in a way that is consistent with the Council’s RPS of
trying to improve water quality.
Aparima River Sinclair Road
� is this land being managed in a way that protects water quality on the
Aparima River;
� if it is, does the Council have a role with that.
Waiau River South of Tuatapere
� is this a good use of this land (DOC land).
Cr Rodway advised he would like an investigation carried out as to whether or not
there are arrangements in place to ensure that public land and riverbeds are
managed to enhance water quality, what role Environment Southland would have
in this, and what options there are to better integrate the management of public
farm land and riverbeds so that any detrimental effects are avoided. He suggested
this could perhaps be through the development of a Memorandum of
Understanding with the relevant bodies. He advised he was aware that
Cr Cockburn did have a plan for a river management strategy but he felt this would
take some time and that there was pressure on these areas currently.
Mr Hinton advised that the first example Cr Rodway had outlined was an area of
live planting protection to prevent the river falling into a large gut directly in line
with the stopbank. He advised that one piece of legislation the Council worked
within was the Soil Conservation & Rivers Control Act with a requirement for the
Council to prevent land erosion and prevent inundation of land. The Council puts
protection works in to try and maintain a river corridor, the title of land does not
influence that activity. In terms of flood flows, Mr Hinton advised that the
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Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
planting protection work would have negligible effect on direction of flood flows.
He advised this was reasonably typical of all the major flood schemes in Southland,
as well as the river very rarely flowing where the title was.
Mr Hinton felt therefore that the Council was meeting its legislative obligations by
undertaking that work. He advised there was a lot of land being farmed on the wet
side of floodbanks. As for controlling that activity, he suggested this was outside
the legislative requirements of the Soil Conservation & Rivers Control Act. He
suggested if some control was undertaken on that type of activity it would relate to
a land plan requirement or a Water & Land 2020 issue.
With regard to the Waiau River issue raised, he advised that had been brought to
the Council’s attention by its staff and that there was a development undertaken by
an adjoining landowner which the Catchment Division staff feel is an activity
against a rule in a plan or legislation in terms of working in a riverbed. He advised
there was some doubt about whether that was the case in terms of the RMA but
advised that it was DOC land and he understood that DOC had served papers to
the Court for that particular work. Mr Hinton advised that the Council did not
have the ability under legislation to direct the types of farming activity undertaken
on that land. That ability was held by the landowner, i.e. DOC or LINZ.
Cr Hubber advised that DOC or LINZ would make arrangements with the
landowner regarding the use of that land. He advised there were different classes
of land with different ratings, some areas have the bank moved back for utilisation
of the land and it was difficult to know where the berms were compared to where
they started years ago. Mr Hinton added that the Council through cross-divisional
efforts had attempted to identify the riverbed in terms of the RMA which was
nowhere near the extent on these maps.
Cr Horrell felt that to control and direct was not the direction the Council should
take. He suggested that Cr Rodway had a good point about negotiating an MOU
with those groups, focussing on water quality and keeping the river berms clear in
an efficient manner. He felt this would be a good step forward with the possibility
of it leading into the integrated catchment management option being proposed by
Cr Cockburn.
Cr Rodway advised that there was a Southland Biosecurity Interagency Group
Workshop being held on 24 July 2012 and suggested this item could be included
on its agenda.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Rodway, seconded Cr Horrell that an item relating to
the intensification of agriculture in the region, occurring
particularly on riverbed land, be placed on the agenda of the
Southland Biosecurity Interagency Group Workshop being held
on 24 July 2012.
Carried
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Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
6 Chairman and Councillors’ Reports
Neither the Acting Chairman nor any Councillors presented reports to the
meeting.
7 Catchment Management Division Report – 12/RS/74
� Item 1 – Monthly Report – Catchment Management Division
The Monthly Report provided a progress overview of work undertaken by the
Catchment Management Division during the past month, and significant issues the
Division had faced, supported by relevant financial information.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Horrell, seconded Cr Currie, that Council note the
monthly report.
� Item 2 – Stoney Creek Fencing Project
Carried
Mr Cruickshank’s item reported on the Stoney Creek fencing project that will not
be possible to complete in the 2011/12 financial year. Council approval was
sought for the funding of $3,000 to be carried over to the 2012/13 financial year to
complete the work.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Horrell, seconded Cr Currie that Council approve the
carry over to the 2012/13 financial year the sum of $3,000, being
the balance of the funding for the Stoney Creek fencing project.
� Item 3 – Waikawa River Restoration Project
Carried
Mr Cruickshank’s item reported on the Waikawa River Restoration Project that
includes riparian fencing on the Waikawa River and its tributaries. As it will not be
possible to have this worked completed in the 2011/12 financial year, Council
approval was sought for the funding of $9,863.24 to be carried over to the
2012/13 financial year to complete the work.
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Resolved:
Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
Moved Cr Horrell, seconded Cr Currie that Council approve the
carry over to the 2012/13 financial year the sum of $9,863.24,
being the balance of the funding approved for the Waikawa
River Restoration Project.
� Item 4 – Matters for Council Information
4.1 National Pest Plant Accord: Future Direction of Crack Willow
Carried
This item updated the Council on the proposed future of Crack Willow (Salix
Fragilis) as a plant that has been included in the National Pest Plant Accord
(NPPA).
Mr Hinton advised that the Council would obtain whatever exemption it could and
continue to remove the Crack Willow. Over the next two years the Council will be
required to adopt a strategy that moves away from using Crack Willow. Mr Hinton
assumed that a review of the Council’s RPMS would retain Crack Willow and mean
the continuation of seeking exemptions for its use.
Cr Mason asked Mr Hinton to comment on the bullet point on page 5 that in
excess of 50% of the plant in Southland is located on Crown Land. Mr Hinton
advised that this was the case and examples were the areas of land referred to in
Cr Rodway’s earlier question around the Aparima and Waiau Rivers.
4.2 River Fairway Spraying Programmes 2011/12
Mr Pollard’s report provided the Council with information on the riverbed
spraying programmes that had been completed for the current financial year.
Cr Jones encouraged Councillors to attend the July 2012 annual interagency
meeting between Council staff and LINZ and DOC representatives to obtain
funding from DOC for spraying areas as these are in good condition at present and
he felt it would be a pity to lose that work.
4.3 Mataura Catchment Flood Damage Report
Mr Marshall’s report provided the Councillors with an update on flood damage
work carried out on the Mataura River.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Hubber, seconded Cr Rodway that Council note the
Matters for Council Information.
Carried
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� Item 5 – Individual Reports
5.1 Contracts
Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
The contracts entered into by the Catchment Manager during May/June 2012 were
noted without discussion.
5.2 Progress on Works
The progress on works completed by the Catchment Management Division during
May/June 2012 was noted.
5.3 Catchment Management Activity Summary
The activity summary for the May/June 2012 period was appended to the staff
report for Councillors’ information.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Hubber, seconded Cr Horrell that Council note the
Individual Reports.
8 Biosecurity Division Report – 12/RS/75
� Item 1 – Monthly Report – Biosecurity Division
Carried
The Monthly Report provided a progress overview of work recently undertaken by
the Biosecurity Division, and significant issues the Division had faced, supported
by relevant financial information. Mr Bowman commented on the new toxins as
being valuable in the Council’s toolbox and advised that anything new coming into
the market had to pass stringent animal welfare on humaneness tests. New toxins
were tested and deemed to be fit for purpose.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Horrell, seconded Cr Jones, that the meeting note the
monthly report.
Carried
� Item 2 – Extension of Agreement to use Reserve Funds for the
Possum Control Areas Programme
In this report Mr Burgess sought Council approval to an extension of an
agreement to use reserve funds of up to $30,000 in the 2012/13 year for the
Possum Control Areas (PCA) programme.
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Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
In response to an enquiry by Cr Jones about the non-availability of contractors,
Mr Burgess advised this was an ongoing problem. Over the last 12 months the
Council had trialled the use of private operators by giving them PCA areas and had
paid $1.00 per hectare as a subsidy. Mr Burgess advised that this trial had not
worked as four of the operators had not made any money from it. He advised that
quality contractors were required for the initial control work, and that he would
report to the next Regional Services Committee meeting about this issue.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Horrell, seconded Cr Jones that Council approve the
carrying forward of the current agreement to use pest reserve
funds of up to $30,000 for the Possum Control Areas Programme
through into the 2012/13 financial year.
� Item 3 – Ongoing Matters
3.1 Regional Rabbit Monitoring – Annual Survey Deferred
Carried
This item reported on a decision made not to undertake the annual regional rabbit
monitoring programme this year, partly because delays have been experienced with
the scientific report commissioned to investigate more effective data sampling
methods.
Mr Bowman advised he would report in due course to the Council about the future
of the regional rabbit trend monitoring.
3.2 National Biosecurity Capability Network – Workshop Report
Mr Bowman reported on a two day workshop he attended in Wellington at the
invitation of Asure Quality, aimed at implementing aspects of the National
Biosecurity Capability Network. A copy of the workshop report was appended to
the staff report for Councillors’ information.
3.3 Regional Pest Management Survey Review – Public Meeting
Mr Bowman’s report provided the Council with information from a public meeting
held at Environment Southland on 5 June 2012 about the review of the Regional
Pest Management Strategy.
3.4 Undaria Incursion Response in Breaksea Sound, Fiordland - Update
Mr Riding’s report updated the Councillors on another survey undertaken for the
invasive seaweed Undaria in Sunday Cove, Breaksea Sound during the week of
21 May 2012. Mr Bowman advised that the most recent survey found a total of
nine plants, when only one had been found prior to that. A comprehensive report
will be provided to the Committee in due course.
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Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
3.5 Ragwort Control – Public Meeting
Mr Henry reported that a public meeting will be held at Edendale on 9 July 2012 to
provide information to property owners about best practice control of ragwort and
their obligations to control ragwort under the RPMS. Cr Mason recommended it
would be worthwhile for any Councillors attending that meeting. Mr Henry
advised he would provide updates at the meeting on research and biocontrol.
Mr Milne provided the Councillors with information about the spread of Clover
Root Weevil around the Pukerau/Mataura/Brydone regions and a confirmed
report of it in the Otautau area. He suggested it was spread possibly by marginal
stock feed.
3.6 Eradication Pest Plants – Work Programme Update
Ms Lagerstedt reported on four current eradication programmes underway for Old
Man’s Beard, Smilax, Purple Loosestrife and Gunnera on Stewart Island.
3.7 Waitutu Forest Ecology Talk
Mr Bowman reported on a presentation given by scientists from Landcare
Research on the results of studies carried out in the Waitutu Forest over the last
decade. This was attended by a number of Biosecurity staff.
3.8 Castle Downs Wetland Pest Management Group
Mr Riding’s report provided information on the condition of the Castle Downs
wetlands, north of the Taringatura hills. It noted this was one of Southland’s most
significant wetlands covering an area of approximately 100 hectares.
3.9 Dung Beetle Technical Advisory Group Meeting
Mr Bowman reported on the inaugural meeting of the Dung Beetle Technical
Advisory Group held in Wellington on 15 May 2012, aimed at allaying fears about
perceived adverse economic and environmental impacts arising from the release of
the dung beetles for bio remediation purposes. Mr Bowman reported on the delay
of the dung beetle release to New Zealand.
3.10 Alternative Rabbit Toxins Study
This item reported that in May 2012 members of the Rabbit Co-ordination Group,
to which Environment Southland belongs, were invited to contribute toward a
study into new toxins which could be used to control rabbits.
3.11 Biosecurity Bonanza Seminar Report
Mr Milne’s report provided information about a Biosecurity Bonanza that
Landcare Research hosted in Wellington on 6 June 2012, to update interested
parties on the latest research into programmes led by that organisation.
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Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
Cr Mason queried whether it was true or assumed the statement in the report
“Landcare Research calculates that, unless current control of environmental weeds
improves, a wide range of invasive weeds will impact upon 575,000 ha of high
priority conservation land within 10-15 years.” Mr Milne advised that people
leading the programmes at that higher level were suggesting that point.
Mr Bowman noted that wilding pines could add to that given the availability of
high country land.
3.12 Manapouri Darwin’s Barberry and Cotoneaster Control Programme
Amy Lagerstedt reported on the control of Darwin’s barberry and cotoneasters in
the Manapouri area that was progressing well.
3.13 New Pest Animal Tools
Mr Burgess reported on recent staff training and guidance on the use of the new
toxins, PAPP and Zinc Phosphide, from the manufacturer, Connovation Limited.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Currie, seconded Cr Horrell that Council note the
Ongoing Matters.
� Item 4 – Individual Reports
4.1 Requests for Assistance
Carried
A total of 28 requests for assistance with pests had been dealt with over the period
5 May to 19 June 2012, the most common issues relating to wasps and the loan of
traps for magpies and Mustelids.
4.2 Biosecurity Activity Summary
This item reported on activities recently undertaken by Biosecurity staff.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Rodway, seconded Cr Horrell that Council note the
Individual Reports.
Carried
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Regional Services Committee – 4 July 2012
9 Property Management Report – 12/RS/76
� Item 1 – Individual Report
1.1 Property Management Activity Summary
Appended to the staff report was an item reporting on activities the Council’s
Property Officer had been involved in since the last meeting, and a copy of the
Land Administration Committee minutes from 14 June 2012 for noting.
Resolved:
Moved Cr Hubber, seconded Cr Guyton, that Council note the
Individual Report.
10 Extraordinary and Urgent Business
There was no extraordinary or urgent business considered by the meeting.
11 Public Excluded Business
There was no public excluded business considered by the meeting.
Termination
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2.50 pm.
Carried
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