Come in Spinner!

In the recent article in the Marlborough Express on the upcoming environmental policy committee meeting on the 24th (especially regards frost fans), there were several comments which caught my eye.

Firstly Stuart Smith. Describing the proposed changes as an "ill thought quick fix" seems a bit rich considering the extraordinarily long time its taken and the endless debate that has been occurring around the issue. Then claiming that the rural sector is being "foot tripped every step of the way" is pitiful. How many resource consents have EVER been turned down on an application to install a frost fan? NONE. If that is 'foot tripping', I'd hate to see them get assistance! As for any implication from both him and Jill Bunting that there has been any form of discussions between affected residents, Council and the NZ Wine growers, that is pure fiction. The only interaction has been filing of submissions, court appearances and curt words over the fence. There's been no indication of a desire to mediate or negotiate, probably on account of the separation of significant foreign (not local) ownership of the vineyards themselves. Why would the owner care? They don't live there. Send in the lawyers.

Secondly Jill Bunting. "This is a fair outcome for everyone". What on earth? Yeah, all those people with their houses 100m away from a mechanical noise maker are thanking you now Jill. All those people whose houses are currently surrounded by fans are probably worshiping an effigy of you as I write. "Monitoring of existing machines was taking place". Eh? Where? Do you mean the abortive efforts by Neil Morris a couple of years ago that were so flawed that a separate report had to be written to explain how a 5dB penalty should be subtracted not added? perhaps you mean the testing earlier this year down the Waihopai valley? Good start, only took four years of complaints to action and then we have still not seen the results. THERE IS NO MONITORING. That's why Mr Maassen has said that there needs to be some!

I see Malcolm and Paul got a couple of digs in. But really they're stuffed aren't they? Since their problems can't be fixed by this change, all they can do is hope that things improve for some other soul in an unaffected part of Marlborough (if it exists).