Tairāwhiti residents are cautiously welcoming a ministerial inquiry into forestry practice and the destructive slash which remains on beaches and in waterways on the East Coast post-Cyclone Gabrielle
Former National Party Minister Hekia Parata will lead the inquiry alongside former Regional Council Chief Executive Bill Bayfield and forestry engineer Matthew McCloy.
Hera Ngata-Gibson who lives in Anaura Bay, started a petition last month urging local and central Government to do something about the slash, which she’s labelled an ‘ecological disaster’.
She told Tova O'Brien the Tairāwhiti region welcomes the investigation.
"It is good to see central Government willing to make a commitment to it," Ngata-Gibson said.
"We do have some concerns, particularly around the time frame."
Ngata-Gibson explained that given the back-to-back severe weather events in Tairāwhiti, in the past month, it is going to take a lot for their community to mobilise and prepare to contribute to the process of the inquiry.
"The other thing we worry about is, does it really allow for that panel to get out, visit, engage with and hear in person the concerns of our people in our communities.
"I'd say 99.9 percent of us who live on the ground here are directly affected by these issues."
She added that written submissions are a barrier for some people in Tairāwhiti and if the panel isn't able to move around and talk to members of the community, they could miss a lot of potentially key information.
Listen to the full interview between Hera Ngata-Gibson and Tova above.
You can also download the full interview on the Tova podcast, and listen on the go. Download the rova app on apple or android to listen to this podcast on the go, or anywhere else you get your podcasts.
