What’s Going on with the West Coast’s Waitaha River?

Opinion by Tony Orman

To be totally open about it, up till now, I haven’t taken a lot of interest in the issue surrounding the proposed Westpower hydro-electricity scheme for the Waitaha River on the West Coast.

Westpower, has sought fast-track approval to build a $100 million hydro-electric operation on public conservation land on the Waitaha River.

My lack of focus on the Waitaha is simply because there’s so many issues to focus on especially with the obsession by this government with exploiting natural resources regardless of what the people may think.  Springing to mind is the Fast Track Approvals Act which bully-boys Shane Jones and Chris Bishop rammed through.

Then there is the increasing dislike of politicians for democracy evident from the last three governments.

Democratically speaking, the Fast Track Approvals Act is a shocker. It’s flushed public input down the dunny by taking the select committee consultation out of the process for any proposed exploitation. 

Ministers Jones and Bishop elected by the voting public think they know best.

Never, Ever

Well that’s not quite true. 

Shane Jones has never been elected by the public. 

According to Google “Shane Jones has run for a New Zealand electorate at least four times, though he has not won an electorate seat. He has consistently entered Parliament as a list MP, primarily for the Labour Party (2005–2014) and later for New Zealand First (2017–2020, 2023–present)”

However back to the Waitaha hydro scheme proposal which was rejected six years ago due to public opposition particularly from groups like Federated Mountain Clubs and kayaking organisations but now has  received draft approval from a fast-track panel. I chanced upon an article on the website of “Newsroom” .

Several aspects jumped out at me.

It’s important to note the fast track panel is appointed by – not really surprisingly – Jones and Bishop.

There are aspects in the approval by the politically appointed panel that are of concern. 

One outdoor recreation group – Federated Mountain Clubs – which had vocally opposed the project was denied the right to submit.  Federated Mountain Clubs reaction was quoted as saying the approval for Westpower was rife with “shenanigans”.

Questions

A glance at the Westpower hydro proposal immediately raises questions. Newsroom says “A weir would divert water through a tunnel in the hillside, generating 23 megawatts of power – a small hydro scheme, only about a fortieth of the capacity of the Manapouri power station. Westpower says this would be enough to power 12,000 homes.”

Only 12,000 homes?

On a national scale this is arguably meagre justification. 

The Waitaha project was denied consent in 2019 by then Labour’s Minister for the Environment David Parker on the grounds that its benefits did not outweigh the impact it would have on the environment, one of New Zealand’s last truly untouched river valleys. 

Back then, strong opposition came from kayaking organisation Whitewater NZ as the Morgan Gorge which will be de-watered, represents one of the world’s best Class V rapids. Here’s where more questions arise. 

In 2026 Whitewater NZ has not be in on discussions. 

Why? 

Apparently Whitewater NZ reached an agreement with Westpower in the lead-up to the Fast-track application and agreed it would drop opposition.

Pay-off?

In the fine print there was financial compensation from Westpower to Whitewater NZ to the tune of $15,000 a year for 35 years. 

Isn’t this a pay-off?

Isn’t this tantamount to a bribe?  

Another concession was there would four “no-take-water” days a year to allow kayaking to continue.

With Whitewater NZ’s defaulting, Federated Mountain Clubs was left high and dry. 

To add salt to the wound, Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC) was not invited to comment on the application and was told its submissions would not be considered by Jones and Bishop’s “expert” panel.

FMC’s president Megan Dimozantos told “Newsroom” the compensation packages suggested her group, which represents more than 100 outdoors clubs, was being punished for not “rolling over”. 

FMC was offered “compensation” (or is it a gagging fee?) – a one-off payment of $25,000 – “an absolute pittance” compared with the $525,000 set aside for Whitewater NZ over 35 years.

Understandably, FMC feels  “quite purposefully locked out of the process” and particularly now with public disclosure, FMC sees claims made by the applicant which it would have disputed.

To me the Fast Track Approval Act process is shonky.

The people are denied any input. 

The politically appointed “expert” panel seems to suffer from selective hearing. 

And is it ethical for an exploitive applicant to quell any opposition by paying-off any member or group of the public?

Is it proper Whitewater NZ should allow its voice to be bought and silenced?

Isn’t this somewhat murky on more than one front?

Waitaha River – under threat