Abolishing regional councils and transferring their responsibilities to mayors will not deliver the transformation our economy or environment requires, the co-chair of Te Kura Taka Pini (Ngai Tahu’s freshwater group), Professor Te Maire Tau, said today.

“Real progress depends on re-thinking how we govern water and natural resources, not on reshuffling existing structures.”

New Zealand’s prosperity has always been built on the strength of its natural resources, Tau said, yet the country now faces deep structural challenges.

“Selling off public assets to overseas interests will not fix these problems. To create jobs, stimulate regional economies, and strengthen our export base, we must safeguard and add value to the resources that underpin our national wealth.”

Tau said the issue goes beyond the performance of regional councils.

“Changing council crests will not fix the systemic failures we see today. The shortcomings of regional councils reflect a wider failure in water and resource governance. Simply creating another version of the same model will not address the problems we face.”

New Zealand needs an entirely new approach, he said.

“We need a purpose-built entity focused on natural resource governance, one that uses new technology, protects the environment, enhances the value of our resources, and drives regional growth and export performance. And it must be designed to plan beyond the three-year election cycle, enabling stable, long-term growth over the next 20 to 30 years.”

“Real transformation requires a new way of operating — not another reshuffle.”

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