O'Rourke Denis: Environment Canterbury (Democracy Restoration) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
O'Rourke Denis: Environment Canterbury (Democracy Restoration) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
[Sitting date: 04 April 2012. Volume:679;Page:1711. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
DENIS O’ROURKE (NZ First) 
: 
 New Zealand First will support this Environment Canterbury (Democracy Restoration) Amendment Bill but in saying so we declare one significant reservation. So I guess that although we do support the bill we stand somewhere between the National Party’s position and that of the other side of the House.  
Primarily it is the interests of democracy that should be the main consideration and although one may understand the reasons why the commissioners were appointed which is one thing it is also necessary which is the other thing that those commissioners should be decommissioned and democracy restored as soon as practicable. That is what New Zealanders and democracy demand. There is a need for public support for governance at all levels including regional councils and I would have to say that at the present time the commissioners seem rather remote to Canterbury people and are really not connecting closely to them. That is because of course they were not elected by them they are not directly accountable and that is not good for community governance.  
I would have to say however that there were grounds for appointing the commissioners and I say that sadly. The main reason was progress with water issues. There was a need for a better planning process in relation to water issues by Environment Canterbury as it was elected and I for one was not satisfied with the progress that was being made. I say that without any disrespect to the councillors who were elected. I think they did their very best I think they were competent and I think they did make some progress but not enough. I think the main problem actually was the support—or lack of it—within Environment Canterbury itself.  
That then put aside it is now certain that the commissioners are no longer needed and should be dispensed with and elections should be held as soon as possible. The Canterbury Water Management Strategy is well advanced the water issues are beginning to settle down and there is a new chief executive officer and management in place in Environment Canterbury. The Central Plains Water consents—and I will declare an interest in that I have been and still am the chair of the Central Plains Water Trust—have been dealt with mainly through negotiation and settlement. That is also settling down and there is an accord on Te Waihora. So a lot has been done and a lot has been achieved. I just do not see that there is any longer any need for the commissioners to continue so there is a need for elections.  
I would have to add that of course the earthquake has eroded confidence in Canterbury in many things and that people—and you will understand this—are not feeling great about the whole situation. There is a need not only to restore Christchurch physically but also to restore its communities and its democracy and all those things really hang together. The real questions and this is the reservation for New Zealand First are when and what? And 2013 would appear on the surface to be too late. However if as we would wish to see there should be some discussion about whether a unitary authority should be established in Canterbury combining the city council and the regional council and the same for the other district authorities then that is something that we think deserves consideration. If people support it then we will support them on that. If the people do not support it following comprehensive consultation then that is fine by us as well because as I said at the beginning democracy is the primary consideration and those options should be put before them.  
However in circumstances where the Government has taken no action whatsoever on these issues despite calls to give them some thought then we have no choice but to look at this bill as it is in the current circumstances. And in those circumstances we must support it because as I have said a couple of times already democracy is the primary consideration and everything else is secondary. New Zealand First will accordingly support the bill.