Yesterday, Environment Southland councillor Robert Guyton submitted a question,
referring to the recent Government declaration of a climate-change emergency, and asking whether Southland should upgrade its tactics.
Last year, in July, the council voted against declaring a climate emergency and instead voted to develop an action plan.
In his question, Mr Guyton said the council now found itself out of step with, and behind, the Government’s position on climate change.
At the meeting, he informed colleagues that Southlanders had changed their allegiance at the recent election.
"The majority of Southlanders voted for a Labour government, and their mandating."
Therefore, he believed the council should have a rethink.
During the five minute discussion, chairman Nicol Horrell said councillors were probably all delighted by central government’s declaration, and he rejected the council was out-of-step.
"It’s actually much better to have national direction. This will give us an opportunity as a region to feed in that regional flavour going forward."
He said the council had, in recent times, been rewarded for its action plan, and that it was a leader, not a follower.
Cr Peter McDonald said when the council talked about freshwater, it was about local solutions for local issues, and did not understand why that would not be the case for climate change.
"I understand we gave a commitment to Southland around one of urgency."
He noted the subcommittee developed for the plan reported to another subcommittee, and said it was not in line with Southlanders’ views on the issue.
He suggested the council discuss setting up a stand-alone, resourced committee to deal with climate change.
