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Land and Water Forum Project - A Fresh Look at Fresh Water Terms of Reference

1. Background

It has become increasingly difficult to establish a consensus in New Zealand about what constitutes sustainable land use and its implications for freshwater.  This difficulty hampers our economic development and damages our environment.  It also creates antagonisms between different groups in our society.

With this in mind, the Minister for the Environment and the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry have asked the Land and Water Forum (the Forum) to undertake a project into how water is managed in New Zealand, titled A Fresh Look at Fresh Water.  The Forum will use a collaborative governance process to carry out the project. Membership of the Forum comprises stakeholders outside of the government with a major interest in fresh water.

The Forum was established in 2008, initially under the name the Sustainable Land Use Forum. The renamed Land and Water Forum represents a wider grouping of stakeholders including iwi, agricultural, industrial, urban, and environmental organisations with interests in water management.

Local and central government representatives will be involved in the project process as ‘active observers.’

2. Objectives & Scope

The Land and Water Forum is to:

  • Conduct a stakeholder-led collaborative governance process to recommend reform of New Zealand’s fresh water management
  • Using a consensus process, identify shared outcomes and goals for fresh water
  • In relation to the outcomes and goals, identify options to achieve them
  • Produce a written report which recommends shared outcomes, goals and long-term strategies for freshwater in New Zealand.

3. Deliverables

There are four deliverables from this project:

  1. Provision of a detailed business plan to the Secretary for the Environment that demonstrates how the Forum will conduct its project in accordance with its terms of reference, including key tasks, milestones, delivery dates and budget
  2. Progress updates to Ministers:

The Land and Water Forum will provide a written progress report to the Ministers of Environment and Agriculture at the following intervals:

[September 18 2009]

Provision of a summary of the business plan specifying how the Land and Water Forum intends to conduct its project in accordance with its Terms of Reference

Provision of a written progress report against business plan tasks, milestones and delivery dates, and itemised expenditure against budget by the following dates:

  • October 30 2009
  • December 20 2009
  • March 31 2010
  • June 30 2010.
  1. Delivery of a final report by 31 July 2010

The Land and Water Forum will produce a final written report for Ministers which recommends shared outcomes, goals and long-term strategies for freshwater in New Zealand no later than 31 July 2010.

Ministers will not be bound by the advice and recommendations contained in the Land and Water Forum’s final report.

  1. Delivery of a final report on expenditure by 31 August 2010.

4. Public Consultation

As part of the process, a public consultation may be conducted on outcomes, goals and potential options.

If so, its timing (which may take place after 30 June 2010) and its nature and budget will be negotiated and agreed between the Land and Water Forum and the Ministers of Environment and Agriculture.

To this end, appropriate reserves will be held by the Ministry in for the purpose of public consultation, if and when Ministers agree to this.

Last updated: 24 September 2009