Providing a clearer framework for development and managing the effects on the natural environment in order to simplify, streamline, and planning, consenting and decision-making in the system

Delivering practical reforms that will restore confidence and reduce red tape, while still delivering environmental gains

Examining the latest developments in the Government reform of the Resource Management Act

- Exploring the proposed new Natural Environment Act
- Exploring the proposed new Planning Act

Delivering an updated national freshwater policy direction to ensure consistent, practical, and efficient freshwater management across New Zealand

Replacing the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 and the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater

Simplifying Local Government – exploring the Government’s proposals to fundamentally change how we plan our cities and regions to strip out duplication in the system, standardise processes and drive down complexity and compliance costs

Exploring the abolition of Regional Councils and Regional Councillors and their replacement with new Combined Territories Boards (CTB) made up of mayors from the region’s city and district councils

Analysing the proposed criteria for regional reorganisation plans the proposed role of the CTB in leading regional reorganisation plans

Giving councils greater flexibility to balance environmental goals with economic impacts and allow longer timeframes to reach targets where needed

Providing councils with the tools to improve environmental outcomes without unnecessarily harming businesses and the local economy

Assessing the requirements of the future streamlined planning system planning system with fewer plans, fewer consent categories, and fewer overall consents - what is the best way of delivering this?

Exploring different options for how councils across a region can best work together to deliver efficient and effective local infrastructure, public services, and regulatory functions

What is best way of delivering regional spatial and environmental planning?

Strengthening environmental compliance monitoring and enforcement – exploring options for the creation of a more consistent and effective approach to environmental safeguarding and delivering environmental regulation, resource management and freshwater planning

Creating a potential national compliance and enforcement regulator

Understanding the latest developments in Resource Management System Reform assessing progress towards the introduction 2 new Acts – one focused on the natural environment (freshwater, biodiversity, coastal) and the other on planning and development

Reviewing the changes introduce under urgency to Resource Management Act section 107 made under Resource Management (Freshwater and Other Matters) Amendment Bill relating resource consents to discharge pollutants into waterways

Changes to the freshwater farm plan system through the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act

Understanding the concept of externalities and the narrowed approach to the management of effects

Understanding the impacts of the Fast-track Approvals Amendment Bill (FTAA)

Examining the use of Fast-Track Consenting legislation for water sensitive projects

Delivering a factual, reliable, robust and evidence-based benchmark of the state of New Zealand freshwater health

Providing high-quality information about how and why our freshwater environment is changing and the resulting impacts

Assessing the extent of freshwater pollution in New Zealand – are things improving or are they getting worse?

Spotlighting some of the important work being led by communities, iwi and Māori, local government, farmers, businesses and government that’s bringing about tangible improvements for people and our precious freshwater

Recognising nitrate contamination as a major threat to freshwater quality with serious implications for ecological and human health

Understanding the health risks associated with nitrate - examining the growing evidence base of the impacts on human health of exposure the nitrates in drinking water

Reporting the findings of New Zealand's largest investigation of drinking water nitrate levels

Are our levels of nitrate contamination safe – what is the best evidence around whether New Zealand's drinking water standards (NZDWS) maximum acceptable value for nitrate‑nitrogen is safe?

Using the data gathered to help government, iwi, farmers and rural communities monitor water, reduce risks, and support households

Nitrate and other pollutants and their impact on drinking water and ecological health of rivers and lakes

Working with communities and industry on nitrate (and other pollutant) reduction plans

The role of regulation in driving improvements in water quality

Assessing how we achieve on-farm productivity while balancing environmental impacts on freshwater?

How have science, innovation and on-farm practices evolved in recent years to enable land use change while maintaining freshwater ecosystem health?

How can the agriculture sector demonstrate the freshwater outcomes required to maintain its social license and contribute to an honest conversation around water in New Zealand?

Championing sustainable land and water management through collaboration, innovation, and local leadership

Fostering meaningful partnerships between, rural communities, landowners, land users, iwi and other key stakeholders to deliver lasting improvements for our waterways at a catchment level

Exploring how farmer-led catchment projects support sustainable land use and improve economic, environmental, and farmer wellbeing outcomes

Sharing knowledge and showcasing innovation and success stories

Examining what legal personhood has achieved for local hapu and iwi groups

How has its status improved things for the river?

What is the influence of legal personhood on the role of council, the mobilisation of key stakeholder groups and the development of leadership and indigenous research

Exploring the opportunity for the legal framework to serve as a model framework internationally

Analysing how the value of indigenous knowledge is gaining momentum in the conservation of natural resources globally

Delivering the investment in critical water services infrastructure while providing local choice on the delivery models

Exploring the cost efficiencies for water services organisations (WSO) serving over 50,000 connections and the impacts that operating below this cost efficiency threshold will have on financial sustainability

Establishing multi-council council-controlled water services organisations (CCOs) - realising the benefits that can be achieved through consolidation

Accessing long-term lower-cost finance through the Local Government Finance Agency allowing CCOs to service their debt at lower levels helping them spread the costs over time and share them more fairly between current and future ratepayers

Establishing and delivering financially sustainable delivery models – managing the transition

Establishing and delivering financially sustainable delivery models – managing the transition

Delivering the planning, reporting and accountability changes required by the Local Government (Water Services) Bill

Developing the capability to improve capital investment decision making and the accuracy of forecasting to reduce spend

Improving proactive asset maintenance management and delivery and maximising the role of demand management in extending the life of assets

Deciding on the best funding and financing mechanisms and tools that can achieve both financial sustainability and affordability

How can CCOs develop a new kind of contractual relationship with there customers – what opportunities might this bring

Exploring workforce transition issues

Achieving greater operational efficiency, improved governance and more effective management of long-term assets providing certainty around long-term planning and capital delivery

Establishing a regulatory regime - what are the implications of being subject to a form of interim price-quality regulation by the Commerce Commission

Delivering New Zealand’s largest ever $3.4 billion corporate debt capital raise

Examining our plans to invest around $1 billion this year on new and upgraded infrastructure for Auckland