PCE address to the Catchment Communities Aotearoa National Forum

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment addressed the Catchment Communities Aotearoa National Forum identifying the pivotal role of catchment groups in tackling environmental challenges in rural New Zealand.

He emphasised that collective action at the catchment scale is necessary, noting that individual efforts alone cannot shift the dial.

The Commissioner highlighted the ongoing uncertainty for catchment groups created by the current resource management reform. The draft legislation puts greater reliance on top-down direction from central government, which has the potential to be very prescriptive if we cannot adapt it to catchment contexts.

He advocated for a clear hook for catchment planning in the legislation, stressing that catchment groups are well placed to integrate local knowledge and coordinate collective action to bridge the gap between policy and practical implementation on the ground.