2021 Conference

Kia ora koutou, thank you all for attending.

If you have any questions please contact Sasha Maher at

View the videos and PowerPoint presentations from the pre-conference workshop and conference below. Videos are linked from the presenter's name or panel name.

Pre-conference Workshop: Wednesday, 4 July 2021

SESSION 1: FRESHWATER REFORMS

FRESHWATER CHALLENGES
Chair: Katherine Trought, Director of Strategy, Environment Canterbury Regional Council

How to Operationalise Te Mana o Te Wai, Vanessa Tipoki, Director/Senior Planner, Kāhu Environmental

Nitrates and Public Health, Dr Tim Chambers, Senior Research Fellow, Department of Public Health, University of Otago

Science-Based Limits and the NPSFM, Dr Scott Larned, Chief Scientist, Fresh Water and Estuaries, NIWA

Freshwater Hearings and What to Expect, Professor Peter Skelton, Chief Freshwater Commissioner

Panel Discussion: How do we keep on track?
Dr David Burger, Strategy and Investment Leader, DairyNZ
Donna Flavell, Chair, Freshwater Iwi Advisors Group
Ray Grubb, Chairman, Fish and Game NZ 
Stu Muir, Dairy Farmer
Marnie Prickett, Campaigner, Choose Clean WaterMillan Ruka, River Patrol

SESSION 2: FORESTRY AND THE FUTURE OF BANKS PENINSULA
Chair: Andrew Turner, Deputy Mayor, Christchurch City Council

Natives, Pines, and Policy Settings, Dr Susan Secker, Manager, Forestry Operational Policy, Ministry for Primary Industries 

Restorative Carbon Forestry and the Banks Peninsula, Dr Sean Weaver, CEO and Founder, EKOS

ETS and Native Regeneration on the Banks Peninsula, Suky Thompson, Trust Manager, Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust

Panel Discussion: What policies are required to protect and restore Banks Peninsula?
Craig Pauling, Councillor, Environment Canterbury
Dr Tim Payn, Scientist, Forest Ecology and Management, Scion
Pam Richardson, Federated Farmers
Cordelia Woodhouse, Solicitor, Environmental Defence Society

Conference Day 1: Thursday, 5 July 2021

OPENING

Mihi Whakatau

Welcome and Conference Overview: Gary Taylor, CEO, Environmental Defence Society

SESSION 1: AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND: OUR LAND, OUR OCEANS
Chair: Nadeine Dommisse, Deputy Secretary, Ministry for the Environment

International Keynote: Systems Transition and Reform, Professor Robert Costanza, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australia National University

A Visual Tour of Our Lands and Waters, Gaye Searancke, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand

SESSION 2: LAND-USE IN TRANSITION
Chair: Julie Collins, Deputy Director-General Policy and Trade, Ministry for Primary Industries

International Keynote: Sustainable Land Use: Aligning Biodiversity, Climate and Food Policies, Dr Simon Buckle, Head of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Water, OECD

Essential Freshwater - Beyond Implementation, Nadeine Dommisse, Deputy Secretary, Sustainable Land Use, Ministry for the Environment

The Scale of Change for Land Use Transition, Dr Mike Joy, Senior Research Fellow, Victoria University of Wellington

Integrated Farming Systems and Maori Land Use Change, Dr Tanira Kingi, Research Leader Primary Sector, Scion

The Mindset to Farm within Planetary Limits, Corrigan Sowman, Uruwhenua Farms, Nuffield Scholar 

Panel Discussion: What actions are required to transition to sustainable land use?
Dr David Gawith, Advisor, Castalia
Dr Suzie Greenhalgh, Portfolio Leader, Society People and Policy, Landcare Research
Lain Jager, Co-Chair, Te Puna Whakaaronui
Trish Kirkland-Smith, Head of Environmental Partnerships, Fonterra Co-Operative Ltd
Jen Miller, General Manager, Conservation Advocacy & Communications, Forest & Bird

SESSION 3: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT REFORM
Chair: Amelia Linzey, Chief Planner, Beca 

The Vision for Reform, Hon.Tony Randerson QC, Chair, Resource Management Reform Panel

Environmental Limits, Greg Severinsen, Senior Policy Advisor, Environmental Defence Society

Role of Maori in the New System, Jade Wikaira, Managing Director, Wikaira Consulting 

What can Spatial Planning Deliver for the Environment? James Palmer, CEO, Hawkes Bay Regional Council

Panel Discussion: How can the resource management reforms achieve better outcomes for the environment?
Andrew Brown, Pou Atawai, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei
Mary Hill, President, RMLA
Alan McDonald, Head of Advocacy and Strategy, EMA
Dayle Hunia, Management Consultant, Kotuku Systems

SESSION 4: TOURISM REFORM
Chair: Gary Taylor, CEO, Environmental Defence SocietyTourism Reform: Stepping Beyond Sustainable Tourism, Professor David Simmons, Emeritus Professor of Tourism, Lincoln University

SESSION 5: POLITICAL UPDATE

Chair: Gary Taylor, CEO, Environmental Defence Society

Speaker: The Government's Reform Agenda, Hon David Parker, Minister for the Environment and Minister of Oceans and Fisheries

Conference Day 2: Friday, 6 July 2021

BREAKFAST SESSION: TRANSFORMING OUR OCEANS: CONSERVING 30%, REDEFINING USE OF 70% 

Chair: Grant Rosewarne, CEO, King Salmon

Speaker:  Adena Leibman, Senior Oceans Policy Manager, Environmental Defense Fund 
Speaker: Transforming the Blue Economy, Dr Chris Cornelisen, GM, Coastal and Oceans Fisheries

Panel Discussion, Q&A
Dr Serean Adams. Aquaculture Group Manager, Cawthron
Nigel Bradley, CEO, Envirostrat
Dr Chris Cornelisen, GM, Coastal and Oceans Fisheries, Cawthron

SESSION 1: OCEANS AND FISHERIES REFORM
Chair: Julie Hall, Director, Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge

A Vision for Our Oceans and Fisheries, Volker Kuntzsch, CEO, Cawthron

The Role of Māori in Oceans and Fisheries Reform, Rangimarie Hunia, Chair, Te Ohu Kai Moana

The Key Building Blocks of Oceans Reform, Raewyn Peart, Policy Director, Environmental Defence Society

Panel Discussion: What are the key elements of oceans and fisheries reform?
Dr Glen Carbines, Fisheries & Environmental Scientist, Saltwater Science Ltd
Dr Jeremy Helson, Chief Executive, Seafood NZ
Mahuika Matanuku, Partner and Chair, Kahui Legal
Dr Russel Norman, CEO, Greenpeace NZ

SESSION 2: POLITICAL UPDATE
Chair: Raewyn Peart, Policy Director, Environmental Defence Society

Speaker: The Government’s Conservation Reform Agenda, Hon Kiritapu Allan, Minister of Conservation

SESSION 3: CONSERVATION REFORM
Chair: Bruce Parkes, Deputy Director-General for Policy & Visitors, Department of Conservation

Current Issues within the Conservation Management System, Dr Deidre Koolen-Bourke, Senior Policy Researcher, Environmental Defence Society

Strengthening the Role of Maori with Conservation Land and Waters, Professor Jacinta Ruru, University of Otago

Better Regulation of the Tourism-Conservation Interface, Valentina Dinica, Associate Professor, Victoria University of Wellington

Panel Discussion: What should be the key elements of conservation reform?
Dr Maria Bargh, Adaptive Governance and Policy Co-lead, BioHeritage NZ
Edward Ellison, Chair of NZ Conservation Authority
Kevin Hague, GM Conservation, Forest & Bird
Rebecca McLeod, Chair, Fiordland Marine Guardians
Chris Roberts, Chief Executive, Tourism Industry Aotearoa

SESSION 4: THE FUTURE OF THE HIGH COUNTRY
Chair: Lan Pham, Councillor, Environment Canterbury Regional Council

Farming the High Country, Kate Cocks, Mt Nicholas Station and Kate Scott, Rees Valley Station

Agricultural Land-Use in the High Country, Philip Grove, Science Team Leader, Land Ecology, Environment Canterbury

The Future of the High Country's Indigenous Biodiversity, Dr Susan Walker, Research Programme Leader, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research

Panel Discussion: What reforms are needed in the High Country?
Edward Ellison, Ngāi Tahu, former member of High-Country Advisory Group, LINZ
Ray Grubb, Chair, Fish & Game
Craig Harris, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand
Dr Gerry McSweeney, Former Pastoral Lessee and Co-Owner Wilderness Lodge Arthur’s Pass
Dave Maslen, General Manager Markets and Sustainability, Merino NZ

SESSION 5: POLITICAL DEBATE
Moderator: Gary Taylor, Gary Taylor, CEO, Environmental Defence Society

Let's Take Action! A Visual Tour of the environmental impacts of land use practices in Aotearoa New Zealand, Geoff Reid, Filmmaker

Political Panel: How are we going to clean up our act?
Rachel Brooking, MP, Labour Party
Simon Court, MP, ACT Party Spokesperson on Environment
Hon Eugenie Sage, Green Party spokesperson for Environment, Conservation, Forestry, Oceans and Fisheries 
Hon Scott Simpson, National Party spokesperson for Environment and RMA

CLOSING REMARKS

Rt Hon Simon Upton, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

Find the transcript of Rt Hon Simon Upton's reflections on the EDS Conference 2021 here.