Co-Chairs Report

Tiwhatiwha te poo, tiwhatiwha te ao.

Kua tiwha ki te mate, ka tiwha ki te ora!

He kura tangihia, he maimai aroha.

Ko te wehi ki a Ihowa te tiimatanga o te whakaaro nui.

Me whakahoonoretia a Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero te tuawhitu

E noho mai raa i te ahurewa tapu o oona tuupuna maatua. Paimaarire.

Kei ngaa maunga whakahii, kei ngaa puke koorero, kei ngaa wai tukukiri

Teenaa koutou, teenaa koutou, teenaa koutou katoa.

We are pleased to present the Waikato River Authority 2023 Annual Report on behalf of the Board, highlighting our significant progress with Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato, projects, and partnerships.

We have also positively continued our journey as an independent statutory agency founded on co-governance. It remains our experience that co-governance does not lower the bar for governance standards but raises it. Decision-making within co-governance arrangements is guided by good faith engagement, ensuring that diverse viewpoints are heard and measured around the board table. The key lies in establishing solid structures, embracing a strong vision, attracting individuals committed to excellence, and we thank our Board colleagues for their commitment to our kaupapa throughout the year.

We proudly report that our co-governance journey has been fruitful, leading to improved governance practices and better outcomes for the Waikato and Waipā Rivers. The Waikato River Clean-Up Trust approved funding for 26 projects in the previous fiscal year, with $5,719,938.95 in funding awarded. Meanwhile, 31 projects were completed in the same period, bringing the total number of completed river restoration projects to 280 since our establishment.

We are also happy with the progress being made with the first-ever review of Te Ture Whaimana o te Awa o Waikato. Te Ture Whaimana is the primary direction-setting document for the Waikato River and is the compass that sets the direction for the work we do at the Waikato River Authority. We were also particularly pleased that our Chief Executive graduated during the year from the Oxford Advanced Management and Leadership Programme (Saïd Business School, Oxford University). We also launched our social media strategy, using Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to raise awareness of the projects and people we fund. We are listening to our growing community, and the response has been excellent, with a lot of enthusiasm for becoming involved with river restoration efforts.

While the year ended with the unwelcome Gold Clam incursion, which decreases water quality, displaces native freshwater mussels and clogs infrastructure, we would like to highlight a partnership with Waikato University, Waikato-Tainui and the Waikato River Authority which will jointly host the Te Awa o Waikato Restoration Symposium 2023 in late November. The symposium’s goal is to showcase Waikato and international restoration projects to inform how we best continue on the right path to restoring the Waikato and Waipā Rivers. We’ve learned on our journey that working collaboratively rather than alone yields better results and we intend to increase our focus on partnerships next year.

Finally, we farewell and thank Co-Chair Paula Southgate, as well as Board members Jackie Colliar and Dylan Tahau, for their service and steadfast support for our vision over the past three years. Meanwhile, we welcome three new Crown appointees, Stu Muir, Susan O'Regan, and Shadrach Rolleston, who offer experience and fresh perspectives to our Board. Together, with our CEO Bob Penter and committed management team, we are excited by the opportunities that lay ahead of us this coming year.

Ngaa manaakitanga

Stu Kneebone Co-Chair, Crown Appointee Waikato River Authority