Otago Regional Council chairman Stephen Woodhead has called the Government's proposed national policy statement on indigenous biodiversity a "crock" as the council prepares a submission opposing it.
The draft policy statement aimed to promote a nationally consistent approach to biodiversity protection, to clarify roles and responsibilities of local authorities, and to introduce a "bottom line".
However, Otago regional councillors expressed "deep concerns" about the implications of the draft policy for the council, ratepayers and landowners.
In response, the council had prepared a submission saying essentially it was a "costly, complex, ill-defined and inconsistent" proposal, Cr Michael Deaker said at Thursday's policy and submissions committee meeting.
Chairman Stephen Woodhead said the concern was the policy went "far too far" as the cost and burden of administering what was proposed was "absolutely massive". It was also hard to see the benefits of some of the mapping suggested, he said.
"This is an edict from on high that has gone far too far and our submission needs to be quite strong."
Cr Gretchen Robertson said the practicalities of identifying indigenous flora and fauna had not been assessed. In the council's experience, it had taken more than five years just to identify significant wetlands.
"If we had to do this for all habitats of native fauna and significant vegetation as well, that is a ... massive workload to be dumped on local government."
Cr David Shepherd said the policy had some "really serious implications" for land use for the whole of New Zealand.
Cr Gerry Eckhoff said landowners could lose productive capacity. That was "taking without consultation and should be illegal".
Cr Bryan Scott said in most areas around the country, biodiversity had reduced and the trend was likely to continue. The regional council had stepped aside from its biodiversity strategy and "dropped the ball".
"At the end of the day, who takes responsibility?"
Cr Trevor Kempton said while he shared those concerns, the Resource Management Act covered many of those issues. He questioned why the policy statement was needed.
However, councillors agreed if the Government did go ahead, the policy needed to be changed to ensure it, rather than councils, did the required monitoring and picked up the costs of proposed surveys.
Submissions close on the policy statement on Monday.
