Waimate

Yet another mayor lured by the offer of jobs and economic growth. Like Westport and Hokitika before him, Mayor Rowley is seen to put his support behind W-t-E proposal before any real details emerge. When asked for a “supporting statement,” Mayor Rowley obliged. Rowley said it was an exciting proposal which could create many benefits for the district. “This would include new employment opportunities and is yet another example of the district’s appeal to commercial operators. “This initiative has yet to go through the required consenting process, but we know the growth these major enterprises can create – and that’s a big positive for the Waimate District.” These comments came after the Waimate District Council received a pitch from SIRRL director Kevin Stratful on July 27, 2021. In a pitch that one of the councillors in attendance described as that of a used car salesman, the councillor said it was that bad they felt embarrassed for him. At the time, Waimate did not need any further employment opportunities; the district struggled to fill the already available positions. Company request list of “Towns key influencers” SIRRL’s public relations representatives working closely with Waimate Council senior staff asked for and were provided with a list of the “Town’s Key Influencers,” to ensure public support. Was Mayor Rowley using his key role as the council’s public spokesperson in line with the council’s commitment to community engagement or simply providing endorsement for the betterment of the company’s public relations drive? Below, read more about Waimate District Council’s involvement with Project Kea, dating back over a year before the proposal was released to the public. Waimate District Council

Waimate was supposedly chosen as the “perfect” location for a Waste-to-Energy plant. At least two failed previous proposals show this company’s propensity to target small towns. Why chose Waimate? The district landfills approximately 1200 tonnes of waste per year, while SIRRL wants to burn 365,000 tonnes annually. Why should Waimate have to shoulder the burden and resulting fallout from burning almost the entire South Island’s waste?The company tells us that this is a better solution to landfills and that they will recover aggregates from the ash for roading and construction. However, previous proposals have proposed landfilling ash. Company withholding important information? The company has indicated its interest in various sites across the district, but has not yet disclosed specific locations. An OIA request from Waimate District Council reveals that the company has been in discussions with senior council management since June 2020, possibly earlier. This OIA material also references Morven as the chosen location. The community, as stakeholders, has a right to this information. So why is it being kept from us? Recent information-sharing sessions at the Waimate Event Centre provided a concept without detail. Yet, the company has stated they intend to lodge a resource consent within a few months. The Waimate Proposal is not the proponent of this venture’s first rodeo; proposals date back to 2017 in Westport when Buller mayor allegedly signed secret deals with the Chinese W-t-E partner.This pattern of non-disclosure, from Westport to Hokitika and now in Waimate, is cause for suspicion. The company appears to have the details but is choosing to keep them from the public. This lack of transparency is concerning.