Post by Brent George on Nov 19, 2023 18:59:08 GMT
'We got it Wrong' - Southland District Council vows to do Better
Stuff - Southland: 18-Nov-2023
The Southland District Council will urgently review the biodiversity aspects of its district plan in light of an expensive and failed four-year legal battle against Te Anau Downs Station.
The council had applied for enforcement orders to manage what were perceived as unlawful indigenous vegetation clearance practices at the station, owned by Peter Chartres.
But the case was lost in the Environment Court and in 2022 the council was ordered to pay $300,000 costs to the station.
When the decision was released in 2022, Chartres welcomed the ruling clearing him of unlawful clearances dating back to 2001 and said the council’s approach had been overzealous.
But - did they "only" get it wrong because they did not succeed?
- "The review said there was nothing to suggest council staff had been overzealous or taken an idealistic approach."
- "Scott said the council needed to do better for its community and was determined to make the necessary changes."
- "The fact the court proceedings ended the way they did indicated the council was significantly under-resourced in this area".
Stuff - Southland: 18-Nov-2023
The Southland District Council will urgently review the biodiversity aspects of its district plan in light of an expensive and failed four-year legal battle against Te Anau Downs Station.
The council had applied for enforcement orders to manage what were perceived as unlawful indigenous vegetation clearance practices at the station, owned by Peter Chartres.
But the case was lost in the Environment Court and in 2022 the council was ordered to pay $300,000 costs to the station.
When the decision was released in 2022, Chartres welcomed the ruling clearing him of unlawful clearances dating back to 2001 and said the council’s approach had been overzealous.
But - did they "only" get it wrong because they did not succeed?
- "The review said there was nothing to suggest council staff had been overzealous or taken an idealistic approach."
- "Scott said the council needed to do better for its community and was determined to make the necessary changes."
- "The fact the court proceedings ended the way they did indicated the council was significantly under-resourced in this area".