Environmental body ponders its future

Press, 12 September 1987, Page 17

Environmental body ponders its future

Recent changes to environmental agencies and the need for an environmental quango have been discussed at a public meeting in Christchurch. The meeting was called by the Environmental Council which is trying to establish whether it is still needed after recent changes to environmental administration.

“Many of the council's tasks are now being done by other agencies,” said the council's chairman, Dr John Hayward. The changes may have left gaps in the administration, however, and so the council was trying to establish where those gaps were, and whether a

quango would fill them. To help answer these questions the council is holding public meetings and asking for written submissions by October 20, so that it can then make an approach to the Minister for the Environment.

Dr Hayward said public participation was important, especially by smaller groups, such as “Save Our Snails,”- which had less opportunity to get their view across than the stronger lobbies such as the Native Forests Action Council.

Dr Hayward said he personally thought there was a place for a quango. A number of environmen-

tai groups had emerged with an enviable record for accurate analysis over the years, he said. If they had been listened to more over the last two decdes, some environmentally and economically damaging decisions would not have been made, he said.

The Environmental Council has been going since 1970 and has been responsible for providing the Minister of the Environment with policy advice.

It hopes to hear from a wide range of people and groups, and will release its findings in late November.