Post by bingbong on Feb 17, 2009 9:01:23 GMT 12
Meridian money 'gags' dissent
By BEN HEATHER in Queenstown - The Southland Times | Tuesday, 17 February 2009
The Department of Conservation was paid $175,000 by Meridian Energy to drop its opposition to the $2 billion Project Hayes wind farm.
The department is the third wind farm opponent Meridian Energy has silenced, with Ngai Tahu and the Historic Places Trust both withdrawing their opposition last year following settlements, with the latter including a $179,000 payment.
Director-general of Conservation Al Morrison said silence was not bought and the agreement was reached after concerns about "localised impacts" were addressed.
"DOC ... often enters into negotiations with developers to ensure localised impacts on birds or plants can be addressed," he said.
"If we can get compensation to help settle these issues we will."
The agreement, tabled as evidence in the Environment Court in Queenstown last week, included Meridian agreeing to monitor birds killed by turbines and turn the carcasses over to the department.
The $175,000 is earmarked to improve public access to the Rock and Pillar Conservation Area and research the decline of the eastern falcon.
But while fears of dead birds may have been resolved, the department's biggest concerns were never raised, because they would have contradicted the Government's pro-Hayes submission.
Department Otago Conservator Jeff Connell confirmed on Wednesday that a landscape assessment was not submitted because it would have forced the department to reject Project Hayes outright.
Instead they stuck to issues of birds, trout and fire plans, for which concessions could be made.
Department spokesperson Rory Newsam said the department was allowed to raise only local concerns in its submission, and landscape issues were not deemed local.
Historic Places Trust chief executive Bruce Chapman said its deal was not secret and was agreed upon to gain the best outcome for heritage values.
Ngai Tahu would not say how much money was involved in their deal with Meridian.
Upland Landscape Protection society legal organiser Ewan Carr said the department had been gagged by both the Government and Meridian.
"It not about money, it is about the principle," he said.
"The department should be a check and balance. Instead they are a pawn in lessening the public's perception of the risk (of Project Hayes)."
The society is one of several groups still fighting the Central Otago wind farm in the Environment Court in Queenstown.
Mr Carr said Meridian had resorted to "chequebook justice", buying out the well-resourced opponents and leaving smaller community groups to battle it alone.
Meanwhile, Meridian has announced it will increase its power prices from March 15.
Southland's 2000 Meridian customers, Central Otago's 1000 and Otago's 1000 will pay 5.8 per cent more on average for their power.
DoC and Meridian have secret deal for silence over windfarm
Updated at 8:00am on 16 February 2009
The Department of Conservation has a secret deal with Meridian Energy in return for DoC's silence over a controversial wind farm in Central Otago.
A confidential document obtained by Radio New Zealand shows Meridian Energy agreed to pay DoC $175,000 in return for DoC not opposing the Project Hayes windfarm near Ranfurly.
The agreement was signed in May 2007 and called for a range of matters to be addressed.
The parties agreed DoC would drop all its outstanding issues in relation to Project Hayes and adopt a stance of neither for nor against the project.
DoC previously opposed wind farms such as development of 75-turbines in Hawke's Bay - in July 2005.
Meridian Energy has refused to comment on the deal.
Otago Conservator Jeff Connell told Morning Report it would have been completely inappropriate for DoC to oppose the windfarm, when the Government at the time supported it.
Radio New Zealand
DOC deal under fire
kreacher Espiner Political editor - Canterbury | Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Meridian Energy has been accused of bribing a government department with its own money over a controversial power scheme.
"It's venal, cowardly, and corrupt," Dunedin conservationist Dave Witherow said. "What we are encouraging is a culture of bribery," the Project Hayes objector said.
Witherow was commenting on revelations government-owned Meridian Energy would pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to obtain objectors' silence, including that of the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Prime Minister John Key has ordered a report into the Project Hayes wind farm after the revelations.
DOC yesterday confirmed it was to be paid $175,000 by Meridian after it dropped its objections to the power scheme.
However, it denied it was a secret deal or that it was gagged by the state-owned generator.
The Historic Places Trust also confirmed it was to receive $179,000 from Meridian, after it agreed to drop its objections in return for a range of mitigation measures.
Ngai Tahu was also understood to receive $220,000 from the state power company, in return for dropping its objections to Project Hayes.
The project, which would see 176 turbines installed on hillsides near Ranfurly, Central Otago, sparked significant opposition. It is currently before the Environment Court.
DOC Director-General Al Morrison yesterday rejected any suggestion the department's silence had been bought and denied the negotiations had been secret.
However, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Morgan Williams said that was not how it appeared.
"To be blunt, [it] was about buying silence to avoid political embarrassment."
Documents released under the Official Information Act showed DOC was originally among the objectors, but withdrew its concerns after Meridian offered to pay the department $175,000.
Under the agreement DOC signed in May 2007, it agreed that in return for the payment, it would inform the Project Hayes hearing panel and any other court examining the project that its previous concerns about the visual impact of Project Hayes had been resolved.
The money would be spent on maintaining and improving access to the Rock and Pillar Conservation Area and/or to fund research into the decline of the eastern falcon, the agreement stated.
DOC would then withdraw its previous objections to Project Hayes, and put in a new submission on behalf of the director-general that said the department had "no outstanding issues" with the application.
Meridian spokeswoman Claire Shaw said last night that such payments were "common practice" and allowed the company to seek solutions to community objections rather than the costly and time-consuming process of taking it to court.
She said DOC would only be paid should the windfarm go ahead. The Historic Places Trust also said ``no money would be paid unless the project proceeded''.
However, Witherow said the deal with DOC was particularly disappointing, as the department was legally obliged to protect the environment.
Key said yesterday he had asked for a full report on from DOC, and may also ask Meridian to explain its actions.
He said that while he was not opposed in principle to money being offered to offset environmental impacts, "it is not acceptable for a government department to accept hush money".
The DOC deal was signed under the watch of former conservation minister Chris Carter.
However, Labour yesterday refused to take responsibility for the arrangement. Carter said that to the best of his recollection, he knew nothing of either the $175,000 payment to DOC or the confidentiality agreement.
"It is possible that it was in the weekly briefing notes I received from DOC but I can't recollect it. And I'm sure I would have noted with surprise a confidentiality agreement and asked why. And I didn't do that."
However, a letter from former environment minister David Benson-Pope to Carter, made public yesterday, shows the minister instructed his colleague that a "whole-of-government" approach was being taken to Project Hayes.
Benson-Pope asked that all government departments limit their submissions to issues of national importance "which we see as renewable energy, wind power, and transmission issues".
Evidence tabled in the Environment Court by a member of the Otago Conservation Board, Garry Nixon, makes it plain that the board thought DOC had been directed by the Government to drop its concerns.
"It was decided the submission would not mention the adverse effects on the landscape of the project area or seek any relief with respect to those effects," Dixon's submission said.
"DOC could not conceive of any relief that would address those effects, short of seeking that consent for the majority of the project be declined. It was considered this would be inconsistent with the Crown submission."
Fish & Game New Zealand, which opposed Project Hayes, wrote to Key yesterday seeking assurances DOC would not be "fettered" under his leadership.
Chief executive Bryce Johnson said the issue of government advocacy for conservation was an ongoing concern.
"A concern we've had for many years is the statutory bodies that hold the primary responsibilities ... are not really fronting up, and it's left to NGOs (non-government organisations) like us, Forest and Bird, the canoeists, jet boaters ... to run the case for the public interest in conservation issues."
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Bingbong says scum bags and the guardians are sell outs.
By BEN HEATHER in Queenstown - The Southland Times | Tuesday, 17 February 2009
The Department of Conservation was paid $175,000 by Meridian Energy to drop its opposition to the $2 billion Project Hayes wind farm.
The department is the third wind farm opponent Meridian Energy has silenced, with Ngai Tahu and the Historic Places Trust both withdrawing their opposition last year following settlements, with the latter including a $179,000 payment.
Director-general of Conservation Al Morrison said silence was not bought and the agreement was reached after concerns about "localised impacts" were addressed.
"DOC ... often enters into negotiations with developers to ensure localised impacts on birds or plants can be addressed," he said.
"If we can get compensation to help settle these issues we will."
The agreement, tabled as evidence in the Environment Court in Queenstown last week, included Meridian agreeing to monitor birds killed by turbines and turn the carcasses over to the department.
The $175,000 is earmarked to improve public access to the Rock and Pillar Conservation Area and research the decline of the eastern falcon.
But while fears of dead birds may have been resolved, the department's biggest concerns were never raised, because they would have contradicted the Government's pro-Hayes submission.
Department Otago Conservator Jeff Connell confirmed on Wednesday that a landscape assessment was not submitted because it would have forced the department to reject Project Hayes outright.
Instead they stuck to issues of birds, trout and fire plans, for which concessions could be made.
Department spokesperson Rory Newsam said the department was allowed to raise only local concerns in its submission, and landscape issues were not deemed local.
Historic Places Trust chief executive Bruce Chapman said its deal was not secret and was agreed upon to gain the best outcome for heritage values.
Ngai Tahu would not say how much money was involved in their deal with Meridian.
Upland Landscape Protection society legal organiser Ewan Carr said the department had been gagged by both the Government and Meridian.
"It not about money, it is about the principle," he said.
"The department should be a check and balance. Instead they are a pawn in lessening the public's perception of the risk (of Project Hayes)."
The society is one of several groups still fighting the Central Otago wind farm in the Environment Court in Queenstown.
Mr Carr said Meridian had resorted to "chequebook justice", buying out the well-resourced opponents and leaving smaller community groups to battle it alone.
Meanwhile, Meridian has announced it will increase its power prices from March 15.
Southland's 2000 Meridian customers, Central Otago's 1000 and Otago's 1000 will pay 5.8 per cent more on average for their power.
DoC and Meridian have secret deal for silence over windfarm
Updated at 8:00am on 16 February 2009
The Department of Conservation has a secret deal with Meridian Energy in return for DoC's silence over a controversial wind farm in Central Otago.
A confidential document obtained by Radio New Zealand shows Meridian Energy agreed to pay DoC $175,000 in return for DoC not opposing the Project Hayes windfarm near Ranfurly.
The agreement was signed in May 2007 and called for a range of matters to be addressed.
The parties agreed DoC would drop all its outstanding issues in relation to Project Hayes and adopt a stance of neither for nor against the project.
DoC previously opposed wind farms such as development of 75-turbines in Hawke's Bay - in July 2005.
Meridian Energy has refused to comment on the deal.
Otago Conservator Jeff Connell told Morning Report it would have been completely inappropriate for DoC to oppose the windfarm, when the Government at the time supported it.
Radio New Zealand
DOC deal under fire
kreacher Espiner Political editor - Canterbury | Tuesday, 17 February 2009
Meridian Energy has been accused of bribing a government department with its own money over a controversial power scheme.
"It's venal, cowardly, and corrupt," Dunedin conservationist Dave Witherow said. "What we are encouraging is a culture of bribery," the Project Hayes objector said.
Witherow was commenting on revelations government-owned Meridian Energy would pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to obtain objectors' silence, including that of the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Prime Minister John Key has ordered a report into the Project Hayes wind farm after the revelations.
DOC yesterday confirmed it was to be paid $175,000 by Meridian after it dropped its objections to the power scheme.
However, it denied it was a secret deal or that it was gagged by the state-owned generator.
The Historic Places Trust also confirmed it was to receive $179,000 from Meridian, after it agreed to drop its objections in return for a range of mitigation measures.
Ngai Tahu was also understood to receive $220,000 from the state power company, in return for dropping its objections to Project Hayes.
The project, which would see 176 turbines installed on hillsides near Ranfurly, Central Otago, sparked significant opposition. It is currently before the Environment Court.
DOC Director-General Al Morrison yesterday rejected any suggestion the department's silence had been bought and denied the negotiations had been secret.
However, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Morgan Williams said that was not how it appeared.
"To be blunt, [it] was about buying silence to avoid political embarrassment."
Documents released under the Official Information Act showed DOC was originally among the objectors, but withdrew its concerns after Meridian offered to pay the department $175,000.
Under the agreement DOC signed in May 2007, it agreed that in return for the payment, it would inform the Project Hayes hearing panel and any other court examining the project that its previous concerns about the visual impact of Project Hayes had been resolved.
The money would be spent on maintaining and improving access to the Rock and Pillar Conservation Area and/or to fund research into the decline of the eastern falcon, the agreement stated.
DOC would then withdraw its previous objections to Project Hayes, and put in a new submission on behalf of the director-general that said the department had "no outstanding issues" with the application.
Meridian spokeswoman Claire Shaw said last night that such payments were "common practice" and allowed the company to seek solutions to community objections rather than the costly and time-consuming process of taking it to court.
She said DOC would only be paid should the windfarm go ahead. The Historic Places Trust also said ``no money would be paid unless the project proceeded''.
However, Witherow said the deal with DOC was particularly disappointing, as the department was legally obliged to protect the environment.
Key said yesterday he had asked for a full report on from DOC, and may also ask Meridian to explain its actions.
He said that while he was not opposed in principle to money being offered to offset environmental impacts, "it is not acceptable for a government department to accept hush money".
The DOC deal was signed under the watch of former conservation minister Chris Carter.
However, Labour yesterday refused to take responsibility for the arrangement. Carter said that to the best of his recollection, he knew nothing of either the $175,000 payment to DOC or the confidentiality agreement.
"It is possible that it was in the weekly briefing notes I received from DOC but I can't recollect it. And I'm sure I would have noted with surprise a confidentiality agreement and asked why. And I didn't do that."
However, a letter from former environment minister David Benson-Pope to Carter, made public yesterday, shows the minister instructed his colleague that a "whole-of-government" approach was being taken to Project Hayes.
Benson-Pope asked that all government departments limit their submissions to issues of national importance "which we see as renewable energy, wind power, and transmission issues".
Evidence tabled in the Environment Court by a member of the Otago Conservation Board, Garry Nixon, makes it plain that the board thought DOC had been directed by the Government to drop its concerns.
"It was decided the submission would not mention the adverse effects on the landscape of the project area or seek any relief with respect to those effects," Dixon's submission said.
"DOC could not conceive of any relief that would address those effects, short of seeking that consent for the majority of the project be declined. It was considered this would be inconsistent with the Crown submission."
Fish & Game New Zealand, which opposed Project Hayes, wrote to Key yesterday seeking assurances DOC would not be "fettered" under his leadership.
Chief executive Bryce Johnson said the issue of government advocacy for conservation was an ongoing concern.
"A concern we've had for many years is the statutory bodies that hold the primary responsibilities ... are not really fronting up, and it's left to NGOs (non-government organisations) like us, Forest and Bird, the canoeists, jet boaters ... to run the case for the public interest in conservation issues."
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Bingbong says scum bags and the guardians are sell outs.
