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Vision and Strategy
implementation
The creation of the Waikato
River Authority as part of the
Treaty of Waitangi settlement
legislation has meant a
special legal status for the
Waikato River Vision and
Strategy, not previously seen
before. By requiring, through
legislation, that other agencies,
organisations and individuals
whose activities impact on the
Waikato River give effect to the
Vision and Strategy we have
been able to make immediate
progress on its implementation.
This report gives an assessment
of progress on how various
key agencies have performed
in this regard. Alongside legal
requirements have been
the partnerships that have
developed with the Authority
to ensure an effective Vision
and Strategy. Foremost among
these has been the creation of
the Waikato River Restoration
Forum that represents river
iwi, industry and local and
central government. This
is a strategic leadership
group that was established
under the leadership of the
Authority to facilitate greater
collaboration for the benefit of
Waikato and Waipa rivers. The
Forum provides a leadership
framework to deliver
restoration activities that are
both coordinated and planned.
An example of this is work
on the Restoration Strategy
for the Waikato and Waipa
rivers launched in 2015 by the
Minister for the Environment.
The Restoration Strategy is a
joint initiative by the Waikato
River Authority, DairyNZ and
the Waikato Regional Council
that will provide a five to
15 year master plan for the
protection and restoration of
the Waikato and Waipa rivers.
We are also pleased to
include as part of this Five
Year Report the first whole of
catchment Report Card for the
Waikato and Waipa rivers. This
document, and future Report
Cards, will provide a measure
of progress towards our goal of
cleaner waterways.
The independent leadership
that the Waikato River
Authority has been able to
demonstrate for the benefit of
the river has been a welcome
consequence of the mana
surrounding the establishment
of the Authority. While the
Authority’s legal standing
and funding resources have
enabled it to make solid
progress for the betterment
of river, the ability to provide
an influential leadership
pivot-point for many other
Iwi
Waikato-Tainui
Te Arawa
Raukawa
Tuwharetoa
Maniapoto
Total
Total of all funding
funding in
first 4 years
$7,644,000
$676,000
$733,000
$290,000
$517,000
$9,860,000
$22,435,000
river stakeholders has been a
mark of the first five years of
operations. This collaborative
leadership approach will
secure the support for the
rivers’ Vision and Strategy
and ultimately the health and
wellbeing of the Waikato and
Waipa rivers beyond what can
be achieved with legal and
financial resources alone.
5
Waikato River Authority
Five Year Report
2015