Supporting Collaboration on Zone Committee

The Hurunui District Council supports the collaborative decision making process of the Hurunui Waiau Zone Committee (HWZC) and is disappointed that Forest and Bird have chosen to work against, rather than with, the community led process.

We see this committee addressing complex water management issues, seeking input from as many stakeholders in the community as possible and sifting through large amounts of (often conflicting) information. We see their pursuit of positive outcomes for the environment and community. We endorse their work to get to a point where recommendations can be put to Environment Canterbury*.

In order for collaboration to occur on the committee, the Auditor General has issued exemptions to normal conflict of interest rules for members. Exemptions we believe allow all committee members to get on with the work they have taken on for the benefit of the community.

Hurunui District Council acknowledges the considerable efforts of the Hurunui Waiau Zone Committee to represent the diversity of views in our communities and thanks all members past and present for their efforts.

Our Chief Executive Officer, Hamish Dobbie, reiterated the necessity of collaboration in processes such as HWZC’s.

“Sustaining long term collaborative processes to deliver consensus outcomes is difficult work and requires a range of views to be represented around the table” he said. “Legal action to stifle individual views is completely contrary to the spirit of community collaboration.”

*The Hurunui Waiau Zone Committee is tasked with making recommendations to Environment Canterbury on the implementation of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy in the catchments of the Hurunui and Waiau Uwha rivers in North Canterbury.

For further information:
Hamish Dobbie
Chief Executive Officer
03 314 0015
hamish.dobbie@hurunui.govt.nz