Brian Anderson The Western Front www.sunlive.co.nz

The week long Tauranga International Conference on dune restoration celebrated successful dune restoration projects in New Zealand and from the world. Examples of improper dune management included devastation from the tsunami in Indonesia and the embarrassing, ongoing problem of the Waihi Beach wall.

I do have some sympathy for council. The story goes that, years ago, before the Western Bay Council was formed, someone fought and gained the right to have a stone wall built in the middle of a sand dune. Many scientists and engineers at the conference shook their heads in disbelief. Waikato University scientists and NIWA expert advice was rejected. It has taken more than 10 years for the project to be completed and, in only three weeks, the spring tide has attacked the ends of the wall. The critics from the last 10 years have been proven right. What can Western Bay District Council do now?

Tested and failed

Opposition to the beach wall has been given as one of the reasons for the locals' attempt to shift Waihi Beach out of the Western Bay District. They did not like the decision, the engineering and did not want to have to pay for the mistake with a targeted rate. They were even more upset with their council, which seemed totally unwilling to listen to its community. At the last Waihi Beach Community Board meeting, council planners, engineers and consultants gave a wonderful PowerPoint presentation on the engineering involved and trumpeted the completion of the controversial project. They continued to reject warnings from angry locals. The mayor has reported work was delayed by bad weather and unusually high tides, but the locals have no evidence the tides have been out of the ordinary. The damage is continuing.

Reviewed

Council has a problem. We have never heard our council ever admit to a mistake. It will need an independent review to help them allocate blame, but if council decides to run its own inquiry or select its own consultant, it will be seen to be covering up. Certainly, all of the scientists from that conference will be watching with interest. Their textbooks now probably include references to the Indonesian tsunami and the Waihi Beach wall. The Bay is filled with more than 40 research students from Waikato and Bremen Universities researching different aspects of the Bay. I'm sorry fellows, the word is out. You are being watched.

And perhaps learned

The council may have to enter into unfamiliar territory, communicate with the public and perhaps share in the blame for mistakes. The prime minister has made it acceptable and even noble to admit to his mistakes in public; he isn't suffering for it. I hope council follow his example. This new behaviour might even help them with the project to develop a marina at Kauri Point, Omokoroa sewerage, Rural 3 lifestyle structure and its financial problems. We might soon be seeing openness and transparency in our local government.