Ian McLean Spokesperson for the Green Party

There is no question that SmartGrowth has benefitted our local councils. But nobody seems to have asked if SmartGrowth can save us from ourselves.

Catherine Stewart, sitting Tauranga City councillor, came closest when she stated in her submission to the SmartGrowth review: '… being self-sufficient as opposed to being controlled by strict requirements via Tauranga City Plan and SmartGrowth…”.

Catherine could have copied this statement from the Transition Towns handbook. Transition Towns is an international network committed to reducing economic reliance on globalisation and oil; and increasing local resourcing.

For example, Catherine noted that all new builds could and should be mostly self-sufficient, in terms of water use and energy supply. That would be an excellent beginning, achievable through the district planning process.

If we have a healthy environment, a compact city, and robust local horticulture and agriculture, we will be well-placed to survive economic downturns. If we have resilient infrastructure we will be better-placed to survive the impending impacts of global warming, coastal erosion and extreme weather.

But SmartGrowth and our two local councils are not planning for these things, with the current failure of storm water systems being just one piece in that puzzle. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council has some tentative initiatives in its planning, but nowhere near enough.

It is time for our councils to fully embrace sustainability principles, reign in economic dependence on growth and globalisation, and refocus our planning on the changing face of the future. SmartGrowth can and should aid that process; and its stated intention to consult with representatives of the environment is an excellent beginning.

Ian is a spokesman for the Greens. He can be contacted on email at: ian.mclean@greens.org.nz or called on 021 547 556 or 07 579 4670.