Rotorua MP Todd McClay has called on the district council to delay its decision on a controversial proposal to sell 10 reserve sites for housing until after the October local election.
Rotorua MP Todd McClay also wants full disclosure around discussions between the council and the government. Photo: LDR / Rotorua Daily Post / Andrew Warner
McClay has said he found it "disgraceful" the public did not hear about the proposal until the media revealed it.
The council proposes to revoke the reserve status of 10 reserve sites and sell six to Kāinga Ora for public and affordable housing and the rest to other developers.
Public submissions - most of which were against the proposal - were heard over four days late last month. There were over 600 written submissions.
Some of the reserves that may be sold. Photo: LDR / Rotorua Evening Post / Andrew Warner
Speaking to Local Democracy Reporting on Tuesday, McClay said he believed the current council "should not make the decision over the reserves".
"It's so close to an election, it should be campaigned on."
In his view: "A number of people who are not going to be on the council in a few months' time shouldn't be making a decision that the city obviously feels so strongly about."
He believed it would be "reckless of the council to rush a decision at this time."
"A few more months will allow the new council to consider everything fully and properly to make sure whatever decision is made, the public is brought with them.
"I'm calling upon [elected members] to not make the decision now, to put it off for the next council."
McClay said he found it "disgraceful" and "extremely disappointing" the public did not hear about the proposal until it was revealed by the media.
He was also calling on the council to "release all information and documentation they have in relation to discussions with the government over public housing or emergency housing on these reserves".
"There's been ... a lot of speculation, it doesn't help, it's probably making the situation worse. I think we need full openness and disclosure here."
He said he didn't know what any unreleased documents may reveal.
"The council owes it to the ratepayers and voters of Rotorua to release that fully and show complete transparency on this issue."
McClay also said he was disappointed submitters at the hearings on the proposal faced points of order and interruptions from elected members.
He said the members of the public had "taken time to come forward and speak about an issue that's important to them".
"I don't understand why points of order are taken or elected officials say they take offence. The public has a right to come and have their say."
Documents already public - council
The council and mayor Steve Chadwick were invited to respond to McClay's comments.
Council district leadership and democracy deputy chief executive Oonagh Hopkins said it was the council's view all information and documents related to discussions with the government on public or emergency housing on Rotorua reserves, from 1 January 2021 to 30 April 2022, had been made publicly available via official information requests.
She said those were available to view on the council's website.
"Additional information has also been made publicly available via media inquiries, general council information and through committee and council meetings and reports."
She confirmed the council will make a decision about the proposal on 25 August.
Chadwick was asked if she would consider suggesting to elected members to defer the decision, and if she believed the council could have had conversations about the proposal in public earlier.
Chadwick said she didn't consider it appropriate to "undermine" the process under way - including consideration before the Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee on Thursday this week - "by pre-empting deliberations yet to be had or decisions yet to be made"
"I'm sure Mr McClay understands the importance of due process."
A spokeswoman for Housing Minister Megan Woods said she would not respond to McClay's comments as it was "a council matter".
A Kāinga Ora spokeswoman said the organisation did not have any comments to make in response to McClay's views.
* A previous version of this article stated Chadwick did not respond to a request for comment. She did, but the email she sent had a spelling mistake in the address and was not received.
Local Democracy Reporting is a public interest news service supported by RNZ, the News Publishers' Association and NZ On Air.
