Headline: Nick Smith needs to explain or resign
This email demonstrates that Dr Smith did interfere in DOC’s submission but he denied that in Parliament on Tuesday.
Conservation Minister Nick Smith said he did not interfere in the Department of Conservation’s (DOC) submission on the Ruataniwha irrigation project and plan change but an email made public today shows that he did, the Green Party said today.
Dr Smith has been under fire this week after it was revealed that DOC pulled its substantive submission on Hawkes Bay Regional Council’s proposed Plan Change 6 for the Ruataniwha irrigation project and instead submitted two paragraphs solely on the impact of the dam. Under questioning by Green Party Co-leader Dr Russel Norman in Parliament on Tuesday Dr Smith said he did not interfere in the submission process. However Radio New Zealand reported this morning that an email sent by a senior Department of Conservation manager directly contradicts Dr Smith and says he raised concerns about the submission.
“Conservation Minister Dr Nick Smith needs to explain why he said that he did not interfere with DOC’s decision to pull its substantial submission on the planning regime for the Ruataniwha irrigation project when it is clear that he did, and if he can’t explain it adequately then he needs to resign,” Dr Norman said today.
“The Deputy Director General of DOC sent an email to staff stating that Nick Smith had concerns about the Department’s Ruataniwha submission.
“This email demonstrates that Dr Smith did interfere in DOC’s submission but he denied that in Parliament on Tuesday.
“The substantial submission was critical of the significant environmental harm and water pollution the Council’s proposed plan change could allow but it was never submitted . It only came to light because it was leaked to the media.
“We have clear evidence that Dr Smith interfered in the DOC submission process and then told Parliament that he did not.
“If Dr Smith cannot provide evidence to refute the leaked email and draft submission, then he needs to resign for both obstructing DOC from doing its lawful job to advocate for conservation, and then misleading Parliament about his interference,” Dr Norman said.
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What email? where is the link?
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