Akuhata | August 2026
E ngā manukura o te rohe, tēnā koutou
He Raranga weaves together kōrero on the mahi we do at Waikato Regional Council.
Ngā mahi whaitake
Proposed Waikato Regional Plan Change 1 – PC1
The Government has announced planned changes to the Resource Management Act that will have implications for PC1. Waikato Regional Council is reviewing the information available and will assess the implications as more detail becomes known.
Importantly, the Government's announcement does not alter the significance of Te Ture Whaimana o te Awa o Waikato or the long-term aspirations it sets for restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato and Waipā rivers.
The council remains committed to working with central government, iwi, communities, farmers, growers, industry and stakeholders to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of the Waikato and Waipā rivers.
Local government reform update
The Government's Simplifying Local Government reform programme aims to create a simpler and more efficient local government system by reducing the number of councils and establishing unitary authorities, which combine regional and district or city council functions into a single organisation.
Several proposals have been submitted across the Waikato region as part of the Government's Head Start process. Waikato Regional Council has reaffirmed its support for a single unitary authority for the region and has published a proposal outlining its case.
The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions & Transport is now assessing submitted proposals, with Cabinet decisions on which proposals progress to the next stage expected in September 2026.
Confirmation of PA at Long Bay Kauri Walk
Soil testing has confirmed the presence of Phytophora agathidicida (PA), the pathogen that causes kauri dieback disease, at the site of the oldest kauri at Long Bay Kauri Walk, near Coromandel town. PA is microscopic and spread through the movement of contaminated soil, including on dirty footwear, equipment, vehicles and animals. Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher says the most important thing people can do to help protect the remaining kauri in the reserve is stay on the tracks, respect the barriers, and arrive and leave with clean footwear. Further surveillance and soil sampling has been carried out in the reserve and additional signage is being planned to educate the public about what they can do to help protect kauri.
New Waikato Regional Economic Development Strategy adopted
A new strategy to guide the Waikato region’s economic future has been adopted, setting a clear direction to grow jobs, lift incomes and strengthen the region’s long-term prosperity. The Waikato Regional Economic Development Strategy 2026/27–2029/30 builds on the region’s strong foundations – its natural resources, central location, diverse industries and people – to unlock new opportunities and drive sustainable growth. Waikato Regional Council Chair Warren Maher said the strategy reflects both the region’s strengths and its ambition for the future. “We have world-class natural resources, a strong and diverse economy, and an incredible location at the heart of the upper North Island. This strategy helps us better connect those advantages and turn them into higher productivity, better jobs and stronger communities.”
Ngā mahi i te hapori
Intern swaps parades for paddocks
"I am not just observing – they are chucking me in the deep end. And I love being on the land,” says Elly Wilson, intern at Waikato Regional Council.
Elly Wilson is taking part in an internship with Waikato Regional Council as part of a joint initiative with the Waikato River Authority for a planting project in the Karāpiro and Mangaonua catchments.
"Each agency is coming with their own basket of knowledge, which when we share it all together, we all become smarter and wiser together,” says Peter Matai Johnston, Ngāti Huarere ki Whangapoua Trust.
Waikato Regional Council is working in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Ngāti Huarere iwi to remove wilding pines at Opera Point in Whangapoua.
Protecting surf perfection
"National direction through the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement requires the protection of significant surf breaks, and our coastal plan gives effect to this. In practice, this means resource consent applications for activities need demonstrate they will not affect the surf break or the swell corridor,” says Dr Michael Townsend, Coastal and Marine Team Leader, Waikato Regional Council.
Waikato Regional Council's regulatory and consenting role helps protect the environment at places like Manu Bay.
Regional resilience depends on diverse ecosystems
"Diverse ecosystems deliver a range of ecosystem services that help support the resilience of human communities. And the greater the variety of ecosystem types – and the biodiversity within them – the more naturally resilient they are to threats and pressures,” says Dr Paul Dutton, Senior Scientist of Terrestrial Ecology, Waikato Regional Council.
Around 80 per cent of the Waikato region’s native trees, ferns and flowering plants are found nowhere else in the world, and more than 70 per cent of our native breeding bird species are also endemic.
Three years of clams in the Waikato River
Clams don’t see borders, and collaboration is key to slowing their spread across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Waikato Regional Council is working closely with other regional councils, mana whenua and communities to share knowledge and experience.
Replanting the Upper Waipā – a catchment-wide effort
"Council is pleased to support the work of Waipā Rere Noa. Community groups like this are crucial in the effort to increase biodiversity across the region, leading from the front and spreading the understanding of the value of enhancing the environment,” says Kate Pepper, Senior Biodiversity Officer, Waikato Regional Council.
Waipā Rere Noa received more than $30,000 from Waikato Regional Council’s Environmental Initiatives Fund.
Discovering underwater volcanoes
"If we can map what lies beneath, we can protect it. We can use it wisely and we can sustain its abundance for generations to come,” says Dr Oliver McLeaod, Mātauranga Māori scientist, Waikato Regional Council.
Waikato Regional Council manages the coastal marine area of the region out to 12 nautical miles at sea.
Funding boost for kiwi protection
"What’s really cool about the trust and my job is the ability to support others to advance our conservation objectives,” says Paula Judd, Kaiwhakahaere Kaupapa – Project Manager of Project Kiwi Trust.
Project Kiwi Trust will receive almost $40,000 from Waikato Regional Council’s Environmental Initiatives Fund.
Ngā mahi whaihua
Ara mahi - career opportunities
Our people are what makes working at Waikato Regional Council so great, with a wide range of work and roles, competitive salaries and a range of benefits. Learn more about our career opportunities here.
Community volunteers wanted
Waikato Regional Council is seeking local volunteers in Kāwhia, Mōkau and Tīkapa Moana – Firth of Thames to help promote boating safety within their communities.
Volunteers will work alongside council staff to engage with recreational boaters, share safety information and resources, and support community awareness. The ideal candidate will be self-motivated, well-respected in their community, an effective communicator, and committed to a supportive, non-judgemental approach. Training, equipment and ongoing support will be provided with potential compensation for time contributed.
For more information, please contact Karl Walter, karl.walter@waikatoregion.govt.nz
Council meetings and workshops
- Tuesday, 1 September, 9.30am: Hauraki Scheme Subcommittee
- Wednesday, 2 September, 9.30am: Risk and Assurance Committee
- Tuesday, 8 September, 9.30am: Environmental Performance Committee
- Tuesday, 22 September, 9.30am: Integrated Catchment Management Committee
- Thursday, 24 September, 9.30am: Full council meeting
- Wednesday, 28 October, 9.30am: Strategy and Policy Committee
All meetings are held in chambers at the council office, 160 Ward Street, Hamilton, unless otherwise stated. Meetings and workshops are also live streamed. Agendas, minutes and livestream links can be accessed online here.
Tūtaki mai!
As a Kaitohutohu Matua (Senior Policy Advisor) in Waikato Regional Council's RMA Policy Team, Mariarna Te Tai (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Paoa, Kai Tahu) helps shape the policies and planning documents that guide the sustainable management of the region's natural resources.
Her work spans a wide range of mahi, from developing and reviewing policy and analysing legislation and national direction, to working closely with tangata whenua to help ensure iwi values, aspirations and mātauranga are reflected in policy and planning decisions.
While Mariarna did not set out to work in local government, the kura kaupapa Māori graduate could see the importance of bringing te ao Māori perspectives into spaces where decisions are made about our whenua, wai and hapori.
“I enjoy the learning and challenges my role brings,” says Mariarna. “The work is complex and ever-changing, requiring an understanding of the bigger picture while recognising that even the smallest detail can make a difference. The best moments are when people gain a deeper understanding of Māori perspectives, begin to think differently, challenge the status quo and try new approaches.”
Looking ahead, Mariarna is keen to continue strengthening relationships with iwi. “Like many councils across the country, we're currently navigating a significant period of legislative reform,” she says. “One thing I feel strongly about is that legislative change shouldn't define or limit tangata whenua participation. Our experiences, whakaaro and te ao Māori perspectives are strengths, and these spaces need our voice now more than ever."
Mariarna Te Tai (pictured back row, second from left) with kaimahi during a tira hoe of Waikato Awa.
