Where to for collaboration in land and water policy development in Aotearoa New Zealand? Guidance for authorising agencies

Figures & data

Table 1. Comparison of catchment- and sub-catchment-scale collaborations on membership, decision making, and mandate (adapted from Duncan and Robson-Williams 2018, p. 24).

Council	Participants	How participants are chosen by local governments and iwi	Type of decision making	Mandate and/or power of group
Northland	Hapū and iwi, stakeholder groups including community members, district and regional councillors (group size: c. 19).	Advertised expression of interest; process for sector groups to choose representatives.	Consensus.	Provide consensus recommendations on plan changes. Council staff use these recommendations in drafting a plan, which then goes to council for final decision making.
Waikato	Iwi, stakeholder groups and community representatives (group size: 24).	Advertised expression of interest.	Consensus with unanimous decision-making protocol. River iwi and council are responsible for final decisions on plan changes.	The group drafts regional plan changes for approval by statutory co-governance group and council.
Bay of Plenty	Hapū and iwi, stakeholder groups, including community members identified as representing sectoral interests (e.g. rural, urban, recreational, forestry). (Community group size: 20–25).	Advertised expression of interest.	Consensus.	Water advisory group provides recommendations to council. Council staff use recommendations to draft a plan, which then goes to council for final decision making.
Hawke’s Bay	Hapū and iwi representation as well as stakeholder groups (group size: c. 30).	Initial stakeholders identified by Council; gaps were identified, and then different sectoral interests nominated someone to be their representative.	Consensus.	The group provides consensus recommendations regarding objectives, policies, and methods, including rules for a plan change.
Greater Wellington	Iwi representation, district councillors, chosen community members (group size: 13–17).	Advertised expression of interest for community members; process for tangata whenua to select rūnanga representation.	Consensus.	Created Whaitua Implementation Programme, a non-statutory report which contains recommendations for specific plan changes and work programmes within the Whaitua boundary.
Tasman	Iwi-appointed representatives, community-based membership with a regional councillor (group size: 12).	Advertised expression of interest.	Consensus.	Provide recommendations to council in the form of a general document that council staff use as a basis for drafting the regional plan.
Canterbury	Rūnanga representatives, regional and district councillors, chosen community members (group size: 10–15).	Advertised expression of interest for community members; process for tangata whenua to select rūnanga representation.	Consensus.	Created Zone Implementation Programme, a non-statutory report which contains recommendations for specific plan changes and gives effect to the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.
Southland	Community members (group size: 15).	Advertised expression of interest; a panel of Environment Southland councillors and Te Ao Marama chairman shortlisted candidates and then selected members.	Consensus.	Provide recommendations to council and Te Ao Marama to update the Southland Water and Land Plan to implement the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

Duncan R, Robson-Williams M. 2018. Shaping Southland’s Regional Forum: drawing on lessons from elsewhere. Lincoln (NZ): Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. Contract Report LC3293.

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