A Dunedin mayoral hopeful is pushing on with his fight to reinstate a groyne at St Clair Beach despite the proposal being voted down this week.
People flock to Dunedin's St Clair Beach as temperatures pass 30 degrees Celsius Photo: RNZ
Councillor Jules Radich said getting the wooden groyne installed at St Clair Beach for a five-year trial was a pillar of his campaign.
The first-term councillor sparked a heated and contentious debate at Thursday's council meeting with a motion to reinstate the wooden structure at beach.
It came after annual plan consultation had closed and after the city's Coastal Plan was adopted by the council in February.
The introduction of the notion of motion was greeted with fierce criticism by some at the council table, including Mayor Aaron Hawkins.
"Barely three hours ago we formally adopted our annual plan for next year," he said at Thursday's meeting.
"It's the result of months of work by staff, significant public input and two opportunities for elected members to make amendments to budgets... and now, literally on the last day of the financial year, we are debating whether or not to commit to another piece of work with a blank cheque.
"I think it's an insult to that process that we are being asked to take this resolution seriously at this meeting. This is absolutely no way for us to run a city."
But his criticism was not the most scathing as Councillor Steve Walker compared it to a school boy's project.
The trial would cost at least $150,000, though Radich said it could be carried out for less.
It was ultimately voted down by seven councillors to five.
That was why Radich wanted to take the proposal to voters.
Dunedin From Middle Beach looking West (Kettle Park to right St Clair in distance) Photo:
He was part of an eight-strong group of candidates called Team Dunedin, hoping to be elected in October.
The city's voters were not being heard on a number of topics including protection of St Clair Beach, he said.
"Just because the vote was lost ... it will still be on the table because erosion will continue. The council's being doing nothing about erosion for a long time and voting to continue doing nothing will not stop the erosion."
The reason the plan had not garnered widespread support around the council table was that it would cost an unknown six figure sum and multiple experts had said it would not work.
Radich said he believed the former state of the beach when groynes were in place showed it would work and he only wanted a trial to prove it.
If it did not work, he would concede defeat.
"The possibility exists that enough sand to fill the groyne and rebuild the beach in front of the dunes like it used to be - that possibility does exist. I have put my reputation, my name, on the line by saying I totally believe the beach will build up again and I will be prepared to stand up and say I was wrong if it doesn't work.
"But it won't be a waste of money because it will prove the point."
