Paula Thompson BOP Regional Councillor www.envbop.govt.nz

The government's decision to grant more drilling licences has rightly raised debate.

The licences are for drilling oil and gas and this has sparked immediate and rigorous debate between those that support the economic benefit case for this and those that say we should be focusing on developing our renewable energy resources as they will have economic benefits as well as less environmental downside.

Putting aside the merits of both camps; the key matter – that is good news – is that there is strong and sound debate. Slowly, but surely, the need to balance economic growth initiatives with environmental consequences has moved to centre stage and that will ultimately mean more resources are applied to finding ways to create reasonable balance.

Given the wealth of natural and renewable resources and the ever growing technology and thinking surrounding the best utilisation, New Zealand is poised to yet again contribute to innovative solutions for economic and environmental sustainability.

Here in the Bay, we boast significant geothermal resource. It is an area of focus for the economic development strategy work and is but one example where we can demonstrate clever sustainable thinking.

Sometimes it's hard to believe that in my lifetime we have moved from a society where it was acceptable to smoke on public transport. Some of us will remember the butts on the train and bus floors and the back rows reserved in the old NAC flights for smokers. I can also remember one of my first Christmas jobs as a clerk in a government department where the tea trolley really did come round and most desks had ashtrays. It is almost inconceivable that this was only a couple of decades ago.

But society's consciousness is a constantly evolving thing and the debate we are having now on balancing economic and environmental interests will over time evolve into a new accepted ‘way'.

It can be tempting in the wake of the global financial crisis to focus on the need to reinvigorate economic growth quickly without pausing to remember that the GFC came about because our worlds focus was out of kilter; not enough balance between needing to promote wealth and protect and reinvest in this planet and people.

Any debate that makes us ‘stop and stare' awhile, as to whether we have the balance right is a good thing in my book.