Two-day meeting on structure of new trust

About 30 groups and organisations with an interest in the Omarama and Mackenzie Basins are being invited to a proposed two-day meeting in Twizel next week to discuss the structure of a trust being set up by Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean.

Mrs Dean has already announced the formation of the Mackenzie Sustainable Futures Trust and wants to discuss details so an application for funding can be made by February 14 to the Ministry for the Environment's community environment fund.

She believes the trust can resolve issues facing the upper Waitaki area above Lake Benmore through a range of groups working together.

The trust follows Minister for the Environment Nick Smith's insistence that solutions be locally driven.

Details of the meeting at Twizel on February 10 and 11, along with more information about how the trust could operate and possible members, are in an agenda for an extraordinary meeting of the Waitaki District Council on Tuesday.

The council is being asked to make decisions on a list of issues to be discussed at the Twizel meeting.

Invited to that meeting are environmental organisations (including Forest and Bird, Mackenzie Guardians and Environmental Defence Society), Federated Farmers, Meridian Energy, Genesis Energy, Fonterra, irrigation company representatives, community boards in the area, Ngai Tahu, Central South Island Fish and Game Council, Mackenzie and Waitaki District Councils, Environment Canterbury and government departments.

Others may be allowed to attend, particularly landowners and local people.

Mrs Dean has proposed trustees for the new trust should include herself, Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton and Mackenzie Mayor Claire Barlow, with others appointed in the future.

The trust would seek funding for the collaborative process, manage and account for those funds, contract a chairman agreed to by participants, use consultants as needed and find a way to resolve disputed issues of process and procedure which may arise.