Six people have been appointed to a new committee meant to ensure the community has more input into the use of water in the lower Waitaki catchment and Waimate district.
The Lower Waitaki-South Coastal Canterbury zone committee, set up by Environment Canterbury (ECan) under the Canterbury water management strategy (CWMS), is one of 10 throughout the Canterbury region.
The six community members, selected from 12 applicants, are. -
• Matthew Ross (Duntroon), a lower Waitaki farmer with an agricultural and irrigation background.
• Robin Murphy (Glenavy), chairman of the Morven-Glenavy Irrigation company and a dairy farmer.
• Sean McCready (West Melton), partnership manager with Meridian Energy Ltd with experience in the hydro-electricity sector.
• Kate White (Kurow), a keen environmentalist with an irrigated farm at Otiake who is heavily involved in the Waitaki community.
• Andrew Cocking (Timaru), experienced in land-based management in the forestry industry and Blakely Pacific's South Island regional manager.
• Anne Te Maiharoa-Dodds (Glenavy), a member of the Waitaha tribe with involvement in community health and Maori/Waitaha issues.
The community members will be joined on the committee by Cr Jim Anderson (Waimate District Council councillor), Cr Alistair Mavor (Waitaki District Council), Patrick Tipa (Moeraki runanga), Te Wera King (Waihao runanga), Mandy Home (Arowhenua runanga) and Environment Canterbury commissioner Peter Skelton.
The selection process for the committee was designed to find the best combination of people with the necessary skills, interests and expertise, Waimate Mayor John Coles and Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton said yesterday.
Messrs Coles and Familton, and Environment Canterbury commissioner David Caygill, said they were delighted by the range of values, interests, and experiences the six appointees brought to the committee.
The range includes forestry management, environmentalism, farming, company management and health.
"While each member brings different strengths to the committee, they all share a common passion for the district and a desire to ensure its resources are properly managed in the interests of the community at large," the two mayors said in a statement.
Mr Caygill said the representatives had impressive individual qualifications, accomplishments, interests and occupations.
"As a group, they have the breadth and depth of expertise to work collaboratively to develop creative solutions to water-management issues in the district, while addressing the priorities set out in the CWMS," he said.
Each applicant was assessed on skills, expertise and experience, as well as their ability to work collaboratively to develop water management solutions that deliver economic, social, cultural and environmental outcomes.
The committee is being established under the Local Government Act as a joint committee of Waitaki and Waimate district councils and ECan.
