In the article, Creech is quoted as saying that ECan has a 'fortress' culture and that it has an attitude of 'we know best'. Creech may have said this, but the Creech Report doesn't. The word fortress does not appear in the Report at all. And 'we know best' appears as quoted:

"There is a ‘we know best’ attitude amongst some senior investigating officers/team leaders and managers in the consenting section."

Some staff may have a 'we know best' attitude, but it does not follow that the whole organisation does.

Its sad that people are more interested in and commenting on a puppy with its head stuck in a teapot than something like this that is critically important to the Canterbury region.

There are both democratic issues and long-term water quality/quantity issues that will impact this and subsequent generations.

While I think the Creech report is accurate in many of it's findings I'm not convinced the recommendations are the best idea.

So us in Canterbury will lose control of our water to the government and the dairy companies? Canterbury has some of the best water in the world, and these guys want to ruin it all for a quick profit.

That's not going to happen.

Didn't we vote these councillors in? What is Rodney Hide thinking, he can’t take away our right to have a say. I understand people are frustrated at not having access to unlimited water for their dairy farming, but shouldn't water use be decided by the people not just farmers who want to increase their profit margin? The number of people who use this water recreationally far exceeds the number of people benefitting from dairy farm intensification. I personally can't swim in our local Canterbury River any more due to activities taking place upstream, is this the future NZ wants?

surely the issue here is not who is in control, is this not just a front for those behind a new "water control initiative" to exploit and alter forever the rivers of canterbury for the economic benefit of only a few? Fresh water is already diminishing, and replacing one outfit which exploits it with another (just with a different, "friendlier" name) isn't going to solve any problems.

Rodney Hide says it's a very big step to replace a local authority, and raises questions about democracy? Must be a different Rodney from the one who's trampling all over democracy up Auckland way this year...

Make no mistake, this report is punishment to ECAN for trying to stop the expansion of intensive dairying in Canterbury. Powerful interests are attempting to wrest control of water allocations away from those trying to protect it.

The Creech report criticises ECAN for a "science led" approach to water management. What they really want is a politically led approach. Canterbury has some of the best water resources in the world - it will be a tragedy if dairying interests are allowed to destroy our water in teh interests of short-term profit.

Most damaging is the idea that water allocation should be managed by a government appointed committee rather than a publicly elected body. We should fight this if we can.

The whole council system needs and overhaul as it appears to have turned into a entity that deliberatley designs rules and regulations to either take an excessive fee or to justify its existence and incompetence level. How many council staff also work privatley in companies involved in the RMA or consult back to council at a high fee having left after designing a overly complicated system.

Leaky Home anyone.........approved and signed off by your local council.

Those involved in council need a timely reminder they are not feudal lords , just those people that failed the McDonalds Job Application form, but are now quite happy to take $10000 off you to move a shrub on the porperty you already own.

Kick them all into shape . PS the ARC should be next.

These comments by Wyatt Creech also perfectly describes the Northland Regional Council, who also have a dysfunctional relationship with district councils in the region:

"Creech said a "fortress'' culture operated at ECan and it had an attitude of "we know best''.

He also raised concerns about the "dysfunctional" relationship between ECan and other local authorities in Canterbury."