Greymouth Star - posted 2nd February 2013
The Green Party has come out fighting against calls for the
Haast-Hollyford highway, saying the Hokitika developers have ‘seriously
underestimated’ the environmentalist cause.
The Greens reject Westland District Property Ltd chairman Durham Havill’s suggestion on Wednesday, when he expressed surprise that environmentalists had not opposed the plans, hinting that they might ‘not care’ about the proposal.
The property company, a subsidiary of the Westland District Council, has recently resurrected the 130-year-old plan to build a road connecting Haast and Milford Sound. The plan is inspired by the potential to boost tourist numbers even further and ‘complete the South Island circuit’.
Green Party spokeswoman Eugenie Sage said yesterday the developers must be prepared for a legal battle, which would go on for “years and years and years”. “There is no way anyone with any interest in nature and South Westland’s stunning landscape would let this go ahead. They need to learn a little from history and the thousands of New Zealanders who supported the area gaining World Heritage status.
“They are seriously under-estimating the campaign that would be launched against this proposal. This is a dumb idea right out of the dumb ideas box.”
She said a whole range of environmentally-minded non-governmental organisations would launch a major campaign if the road were to go ahead, and the Green Party would be heavily involved. “It’s a spectacular wilderness. There are few places like this in the world where you get old forests running down to the sea. The road they’re proposing will destroy part of the World Heritage area and it will destroy our coastline.”
The council looked like it was “resuscitating old, dusty ideas that no longer had any relevance”, she said.
“The Westland District Council was previously been more progressive but now it risks being seen as very backward looking.”
Responding, Mr Havill said his company was ready for the challenge.
“We expected opposition to the plan but it’s a logical project and it had many more benefits to it than leaving the area without a road.
“I don’t believe it will take years and years of legal battles to resolve this. The area is already designated for roads and I believe we have the opportunity to build it subject to resource consent. I wouldn’t expect anything different to what they’re saying.”
He said the Greens did not have the support of the majority of people and the company was acting in the collective good. “You’ve got to remember the Greens are a minority player in the opposition and although we respect their thoughts we believe we are doing this for the good of the nation, the South Island and for Westland.”
*There are two words from history that should Chill Mr Havill to the bone though, those are Save and Manapouri.
Greens vow to fight road
By Julian Lee
The Greens reject Westland District Property Ltd chairman Durham Havill’s suggestion on Wednesday, when he expressed surprise that environmentalists had not opposed the plans, hinting that they might ‘not care’ about the proposal.
The property company, a subsidiary of the Westland District Council, has recently resurrected the 130-year-old plan to build a road connecting Haast and Milford Sound. The plan is inspired by the potential to boost tourist numbers even further and ‘complete the South Island circuit’.
Green Party spokeswoman Eugenie Sage said yesterday the developers must be prepared for a legal battle, which would go on for “years and years and years”. “There is no way anyone with any interest in nature and South Westland’s stunning landscape would let this go ahead. They need to learn a little from history and the thousands of New Zealanders who supported the area gaining World Heritage status.
“They are seriously under-estimating the campaign that would be launched against this proposal. This is a dumb idea right out of the dumb ideas box.”
She said a whole range of environmentally-minded non-governmental organisations would launch a major campaign if the road were to go ahead, and the Green Party would be heavily involved. “It’s a spectacular wilderness. There are few places like this in the world where you get old forests running down to the sea. The road they’re proposing will destroy part of the World Heritage area and it will destroy our coastline.”
The council looked like it was “resuscitating old, dusty ideas that no longer had any relevance”, she said.
“The Westland District Council was previously been more progressive but now it risks being seen as very backward looking.”
Responding, Mr Havill said his company was ready for the challenge.
“We expected opposition to the plan but it’s a logical project and it had many more benefits to it than leaving the area without a road.
“I don’t believe it will take years and years of legal battles to resolve this. The area is already designated for roads and I believe we have the opportunity to build it subject to resource consent. I wouldn’t expect anything different to what they’re saying.”
He said the Greens did not have the support of the majority of people and the company was acting in the collective good. “You’ve got to remember the Greens are a minority player in the opposition and although we respect their thoughts we believe we are doing this for the good of the nation, the South Island and for Westland.”
*There are two words from history that should Chill Mr Havill to the bone though, those are Save and Manapouri.
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