New Local Government Steering Group to advise Government on RMA reform
The Ministry for the Environment has announced a new Local Government Steering Group to advise the Government on the resource management system reforms.The national steering group includes 12 local government elected members and senior council executives. It will be co-chaired by Hauraki Mayor, Toby Adams, and Ministry for the Environment Deputy Secretary, Janine Smith.Secretary for the Environment and Ministry for the Environment Chief Executive Vicky Robertson says the establishment of the steering group reflects the Government’s desire to build on our relationship with local government and form a partnership with around the reform of the resource management system.The new Local Government Steering Group includes:
- Toby Adams – Mayor of Hauraki
- Rachel Reese – Mayor of Nelson
- Sam Broughton – Mayor of Selwyn
- Bill Cashmore – Deputy Mayor of Auckland
- Arama Ngapo – Councillor, South Waikato
- Shaun Clarke – Chief Executive, Far North District Council
- Aileen Lawrie – Chief Executive, Opotiki District Council
- James Palmer – Chief Executive, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
- Stefanie Rixecker – Chief Executive, Environment Canterbury
- Mike Theelen – Chief Executive, Queenstown Lakes District Council
- Megan Tyler – Chief of Strategy, Auckland Council
- Wendy Walker – Chief Executive, Porirua City Council
The Local Government Steering Group will typically meet monthly. The Ministry for the Environment worked with Local Government New Zealand and Taituarā to ensure the steering group’s members are reflective of the range of New Zealand’s councils including territorial, regional, unitary, metro, provincial and rural. The appointments were approved by the Secretary for the Environment.The steering group’s terms of reference and bios can be found here