[Sir Russell Coutts] hit out at the “extreme” marine mammal management plan “forced upon” SailGP and said New Zealand was “handcuffed” by bureaucracy and red tape. […]
“In addition to our normal marine mammal protocols, SailGP has had this extreme marine mammal management plan forced upon us in Lyttelton, demanded by the Department of Conservation, Ecan (Environment Canterbury) and Ngati Wheke for this event.
“Otherwise, SailGP would not be permitted to race.” […]
Coutts said SailGP was facing mandatory services not required or demanded anywhere else in the world, putting the costs from those “unrequired services” at about $300,000.
Eleven dolphin observers – part of a programme totalling $78,000 – were required to be on site from Thursday despite a reduction in practice to just 11 minutes on that day by the harbourmaster.
1News
Voted by many as their favourite stopover on the international sailing series, New Zealand lost credibility among the sailing community, when the intervention of mammals [the 1News article above states there was only one dolphin sighted] on the course lead to the cancellation of the opening day’s action, with a record 20,000 punters heading home disappointed. […]
“Unfortunately, yesterday was another example of there being almost no balance in the decisionmaking – another example of New Zealand being handcuffed by unprecedented layers of bureaucracy and red tape.” […]
“I find it astonishing the amount of influence iwi have over the authorities here in New Zealand,” he said. “The Department of Conservation would not allow racing in Lyttelton, unless SailGP had approval from the iwi – I suspect most New Zealanders don’t realise the full implications of such a stance.
“The Department of Conservation, Ecan (Environment Canterbury) and Lyttelton Port Company have enforced services upon SailGP that are not required and not demanded anywhere else in the world, yet are nevertheless imposed as a condition for allowing the races to proceed in Lyttelton.” […]
After Coutts’ threats to drop Christchurch as a future venue, Mayor Phil Mauger told Newshub: “I’ll need to have a yarn to him.
“We’ve just got to work together and make it work. I’ll be moving heaven and earth to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Newshub
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