Hon Dr Nick Smith

Minister for the Environment


21 February 2017 Media Statement
Tribunal to consider protection for the Ngaruroro and Clive rivers

A special tribunal has been appointed to consider an application for a Water Conservation Order on Hawke’s Bay’s Ngaruroro and Clive rivers, Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith announced today.

“The tribunal will consider an application by the New Zealand Fish and Game Council, Hawke’s Bay Fish and Game Council, Ngāti Hori ki Kohupatiki, Whitewater New Zealand, Jet Boating New Zealand, and the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand to protect the outstanding values of the Ngaruroro and Clive rivers,” Dr Smith says.

“I have appointed Richard Fowler (chair), Alec Neill, Dr Roger Maaka, Dr Ngaire Phillips and John McCliskie on the basis of their professional skills and experience, and their combined skills as a collective. I wish them well with their work.”

Water Conservation Orders are set up to recognise and sustain waters considered to be outstanding as a habitat or fishery, or for scenic, scientific or recreational values. Once made, an order is able to restrict resource use to protect these outstanding values.

The public will be invited to make submissions on the application, and the tribunal will then hold a hearing before reporting back to Dr Smith with recommendations. The tribunal’s findings can be appealed to the Environment Court.

For more information about Water Conservation Orders visit http://www.mfe.govt.nz/fresh-water/water-conservation-orders/about-water-conservation-orders

Media contact: Sharon Lundy 021 522 032

Members of the Special Tribunal:

Richard Fowler is a senior Wellington lawyer, specialising in resource management law. He has served as an independent commissioner in numerous Resource Management Act hearings for eight local authorities. He was appointed chair of two previous special tribunals: the Buller and Kawarau water conservation orders.

Alec Neill is a solicitor with expertise in matters relating to Local Government and the Resource Management Act. Mr Neill has experience as a hearing panel member and as chair on water conservation order special tribunals.

Dr Ngaire Phillips is an environmental scientist with expertise in ecology and environmental toxicology. Dr Phillips has particular expertise in freshwater and estuarine ecology and customary fisheries management, water quality and land management associated with rivers, lakes and estuaries.

Dr Roger Maaka is a hearing commissioner. Dr Maaka has sat as a commissioner on the Waitangi Tribunal and was formerly head of the Māori division at the Eastern Institute of Technology.

John McCliskie is an agribusiness specialist. He is an apple grower, chair of Heartland Group Ltd and Alandale Orchards Ltd, and is president of the International Pomefruit Alliance.

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