Blame governments for mess - Johnson

Lack of direction from successive governments is to blame for Environment Canterbury's (ECan) predicament, former chairman Richard Johnson says.

ECan's future hangs in the balance, with a government-directed review calling for councillors to be sacked and a commission appointed while water-management functions are transferred to a new authority.Local Government Minister Rodney Hide and Environment Minister Nick Smith will hold talks with ECan councillors, Canterbury mayors and other affected groups in Christchurch today.

Johnson, the organisation's first chairman, said successive governments had failed to provide regional councils with a clear direction on natural resources policy and standards since the Resource Management Act (RMA) was created in 1991.

"It left individual councils to scrum around to work through [the] different scenarios," he said.

"In hindsight, this is the major reason why it's [ECan] in this difficulty now."

Johnson, who was in charge for 15 years before retiring in 2004, said his comment should not be interpreted as defence of the organisation's present management.

Johnson was saddened by the suggestion ECan should be axed.

He did not think a commission could do better. "To me, it's a tragedy," he said.

"When I think of all the hard work and toil some councillors put in, it feels like it's been thrown out of the window."

The regional council's first chief executive, Malcolm Douglass, said ECan did not have the "robustness" to pursue its planning, resource management and operational functions.

Tussles for power between the region and the cities, as well as a public spat with Canterbury mayors, had been a "distraction", he said.

However, Douglass said there was "absolutely" a role for ECan.

The inquiry into ECan, headed by former National deputy prime minister Wyatt Creech, recommended a greater emphasis on liaison with iwi.

Ngai Tahu kaiwhakahaere Mark Solomon said the tribe supported the review process and expected it to deliver "process improvements".

"Initially, we are pleased with some of the recommendations contained in the review and will be studying it to see how well it addresses Ngai Tahu interests."

Hide's spokesman said the Government had not made any decisions on the inquiry's recommendations, and ministers had an open mind.

Hide and Smith meetings at the Convention Centre today:

8am: ECan councillors and management

9.30am: Canterbury mayors

11am: Other groups, including New Zealand Transport Agency

12.30pm: Ngai Tahu

- © Fairfax NZ News