About the committee
The Selwyn-Waihora Zone Committee was established in late 2010 as part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.
The strategy established 10 water zone committees in Canterbury – each with a local committee – with the Regional Committee working alongside zone committees and communities for positive outcomes.
The Selwyn-Waihora Zone Committee operates as a joint committee of Christchurch City and Selwyn District councils, and Environment Canterbury.
Zone committee members are appointed for a three year term, after which a new committee will be formed. Applicants were assessed on skills, expertise, and experience as well as their ability to work together to develop water management solutions that deliver economic, social, cultural and environmental issues.
The Selwyn-Waihora zone has the same boundaries as Selwyn District, except to the northeast where the boundary is located to include all of the West Melton groundwater zone in the adjacent Christchurch – West Melton Zone, and to the east where the Zone includes all of the Kaituna catchment which drains into Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere.
Terms of Reference
Presentations to Zone Committee
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Zone Map
Click on the zone map below to see a more detailed view.
Committee membership
Community members:
Environment Canterbury appointment:
District Council appointments:
- Selwyn District Council - Cr Pat McEvedy
- Christchurch City Council - Stewart Miller
Runanga representatives:
- Wairewa - Robin Wybrow
- Rapaki - Te Whe Phillips
- Taumutu - Terrianna Smith
- Tuahuriri - Clare Williams
- Koukourarata - Charlie Crofts
- Onuku - George Tikao
Committee member biographies
John Sunckell (Brookside)
John is a dairy farmer from Brookside, with 80 years of family history on his property.
“I live here, I farm here, my family’s past, present and future is here and a good deal of my recreational activities involve the water of our rivers and lakes.”
Boggy Creek bisects his farm and he has been actively involved with its restoration through removal of direct stock access, fencing of feeder streams and beginning riparian planting.
John is chairman of the Leeston Rural Drainage Committee, vice-chairman of the Ellesmere Irrigation Society, and president of the Ellesmere Golf Club. He has been a volunteer St John ambulance officer for 28 years.
John fishes for salmon, trout and flounder, jet boats on the Rakaia River and says he has a strong affinity for both the Rakaia River and Lake Ellesmere.
Doug Catherwood (Hororata)
Doug is an arable farmer from Hororata who has lived and worked in the zone for nearly 50 years, and has spent 30 years on the Selwyn Rural Water Supply committee.
He is a director of both Central Plains Water Trust and CPW Ltd.
Doug is involved in a wide range of community activities including the church, local school, is chair of the Hororata Reserve Board, and involved with the Lions club and Federated Farmers.
As a dryland farmer and irrigator, he says he has a lifetime of interest in water issues in the community and wants to continue this passion.
David Painter (Greenpark)
A water resource engineer who lives on a small rural property near the Halswell River and Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, David was Reader and Head of Department of Natural Resources Engineering at Lincoln University and Associate Professor of Natural Resources Engineering at the University of Canterbury.
He is a former National President of Engineers for Social Responsibility and an independent RMA Commissioner. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, a member of the NZ Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science, Water New Zealand, and belongs to many environmental groups including the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of NZ.
David describes himself as a fourth generation Cantabrian who is very keen to see our quality of life maintained and improved.
“I see the Canterbury Water Management Strategy as having the potential to make significant positive change to the way water is managed.”
Sue Cumberworth (Tai Tapu)
An agricultural business consultant who lives on a lifestyle block in the Rocklands community near Tai Tapu, Sue has led an environmental project in a riparian area in her nearby community reserve, involving revegetation with native plants. Sue says she has a strong interest in the preservation and re-establishment of bio-diversity and native eco-systems.
A director, consultant and facilitator in The AgriBusiness Group, she says water has been an area of interest and work for the past five years, the focus including clean streams, wetlands, biodiversity, good irrigation practice and environmental farm plans for irrigated land use.
Sue is on the committee of the Mt Cheeseman Ski Club.
Donald Couch (Environment Canterbury)
Donald Couch is Pro-Chancellor of Lincoln University, a member of the Lincoln University Council, trustee of the Ngai Tahu Ancillary Claims Trust, as well as an Environment Canterbury Commissioner.
He has a long history in resource management both here and in Canada and has held elected positions on both regional and city councils in Canada and was until recently Deputy Kaiwhakahaere, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu.
Media statement: 7 October 2010
A mechanical engineer, an agricultural business consultant, an arable farmer, a dairy farmer, a water resource engineer and a former Environment Canterbury councillor have been appointed to the Selwyn-Waihora Zone Committee.
The group, established under the Canterbury Water Management Strategy, has been carefully selected for its combination of skills, interests and expertise. The committee will meet for the first time on October 5.
The six members were selected from a total of 29 applications. They are Peter Jackson, Eugenie Sage, John Sunckell, Doug Catherwood, David Painter and Sue Cumberworth.
Selwyn Mayor Kelvin Coe and Environment Canterbury Commissioner David Caygill are delighted by the range of values, interests and experiences the six appointees bring to the committee.
These range from native revegetation of riparian areas and restoration work on Boggy Creek, to experience in local business, community, environmental and local body politics.
“While each member brings different strengths to the committee, they all share a common passion for the district and a desire to ensure its resources are properly managed in the interests of the community at large,” said Selwyn Mayor Kelvin Coe.
The zone committee also includes Councillor Claudia Reid (Christchurch City Council), Environment Canterbury Commissioner Donald Couch, plus runanga representatives, Robin Wybrow (Wairewa), June Swindells (Rapaki), Terrianna Smith (Taumutu), Clare Williams (Tuahuriri) interim, and Graeme Grennell (Koukourarata) interim. Onuku has yet to make an appointment.
Environment Canterbury Commissioner David Caygill also acknowledged the impressive and wide-ranging list of individual qualifications, accomplishments, interests and occupations.
“As a group they have the breadth and depth of expertise to work collaboratively to develop creative solutions to water management issues in the district, while addressing the priorities set out in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy,” said David Caygill.
The Selection Working Group comprised Mayor Kelvin Coe (Selwyn District Council), Councillor Sarah Waters (Selwyn District Council), Councillor Claudia Reid (Christchurch City Council), Ken Taylor (Director Investigations and Monitoring, ECan), Naani Stirling (Taumutu runanga), and David Horn (Director Water Executive, ECan). Robin Wybrow (Wairewa runanga) took part in the meeting of the Selection Working Group and June Swindells (Rapaki runanga) was unable to attend because of another commitment.
They assessed each applicant on skills, expertise and experience, as well as their ability to work collaboratively to develop water management solutions that deliver economic, social, cultural, and environmental outcomes.
David Caygill said the Selwyn-Waihora committee represents another important step in the implementation of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.
“Its role is to develop a Selwyn-Waihora Zone water management implementation programme – taking into account other zone committee programmes and the Regional Water Management Committee’s programme – to give effect to the fundamental principles and targets of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.”
David Caygill said the Environment Canterbury Commissioners wholeheartedly endorsed the implementation of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy and recognised the significance of encouraging and facilitating community input on water issues in Canterbury.
“The Environment Canterbury Commissioners also recognise the need to get the process right and to make sound, balanced decisions for the management of the natural physical resources of Canterbury.”