9 September 2025
Dom C
[FYI request #32022 email]
Dear Sir/Madam
Recent joint witness statements and expert evidence - freshwater targets, limits, criteria, or
thresholds
I am writing in response to your official information request, received on 18 August 2025, in which
you requested the following:
• The most recent joint witness statements involving environmental scientists or technical
experts that discuss the setting or reviewing of freshwater targets, limits, criteria, or thresholds,
relating to the most recent regional plan change.
• If no joint witness statements exist, confirmation of whether any expert conferencing or similar
collaborative evidence processes took place, and provide the relevant outputs (e.g.
conferencing reports, summary statements, or meeting notes).
I have addressed your request below.
1.0 CONTEXT
1.1 – Recent Regional Plan Changes
The most recent regional plan changes in Hawke’s Bay that involve freshwater are:
• Proposed Plan Change 7 – Outstanding Water Bodies: An Environment Court decision was
released in April 2025.
• Proposed Plan Change 9 – Tūtaekurī, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro, and Karamū catchments (PC9): A
decision by the Independent Hearing Panel was released in September 2022, and is currently
progressing through appeal proceedings.
2.0 – PROPOSED PLAN CHANGE 7: OUTSTANDING WATER BODIES (PC7)
PC7 was notified on 31 August 2019, hearings were held late 2020, and a decision released in March
2021. Hearings were held by the Environment Court mid 2024. Expert evidence and Joint Witness
Statements were filed in 2023.
Further information about PC7 can be viewed by clicking on the link below:
•
https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/outstanding-water-bodies/
2.1 PC7 Joint Witness Statements
A series of expert conferencing sessions were convened by the Environment Court in October 2023,
covering the ecological, cultural and spiritual, planning, and geology and natural character topics. As
part of these sessions, the screening criteria and thresholds for determining when a water body
qualifies as ‘outstanding’ was discussed. The following joint witness statements can be viewed in
the attached zip file.
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• Joint Witness Statement of ecology experts, Andrew Hicks, Greg Ryder John Cheyne.
• Joint Witness Statement of cultural experts, Antoine Coffin, Marei Apatu, Maurice Black.
• Joint Witness Statement of planning experts, Maurice Black, Belinda Harper, Richard Matthews.
• Joint Witness Statement of geology experts, Jens Rekker, Thomas Kay.
2.2 PC7 Expert Evidence
The following expert evidence was filed with the Court as part of PC7 proceedings and can be viewed
in the attached zip file. It includes material that examines and discusses the criteria and thresholds
that should be applied to determine when a water body supports outstanding cultural, spiritual,
recreational, landscape, natural form and character, or ecological values.
An outstanding status has implications for freshwater management, including future freshwater limits
and targets, which wil be set at levels that protect the outstanding and significant values of the water
body, where relevant.
• Ecology: Dr Andrew Hicks, Dr Greg Ryder, Mr John Cheyne.
• Planning: Ms Belinda Harper, Mr Maurice Black, Mr Richard Matthews.
• Cultural and Spiritual: Mr Marei Apatu, Mr Antoine Coffin, Mr Maurice Black.
• Geology: Mr Jens Rekker, Mr Thomas Kay.
• Recreation: Mr Rob Greenaway.
3.0 PROPOSED PLAN CHANGE 9: TŪTAEKURĪ, AHURIRI, NGARURORO & KARAMŪ
CATCHMENTS (PC9)
PC9 was notified on 2 May 2020, with a decision released in August 2022. Appeals were lodged
later in 2022, and the plan change is currently progressing through appeal proceedings.
Further information about PC9 can be viewed by clicking on the link below:
•
https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/the-tank-plan/about-tank/
3.1 PC9 Joint Witness Statements
Expert conferencing sessions for appeal proceedings are expected to be held later in 2025.
Expert conferencing sessions were previously held in June 2021 at the request of the PC9
Independent Hearing Panel on water quality and ecology. The joint witness statement can be viewed
by clicking on the link below:
• Joint Witness Statement – Water Quality and Ecology, Dr Alexandra Haidekker, Catherine
Sturgeon, and Dr Michael Crawshaw Greer.
https://www.hbrc.govt.nz/assets/Document-
Library/TANK/Further-Info-Requested-by-Panel/Joint-Witness-Statement-on-Water-Quality-
and-Ecology.pdf
3.1 PC9 Expert Evidence
Expert evidence for the Environment Court proceedings is currently being prepared on behalf of the
Council but has not yet been finalised. We expect this wil be filed with the Court on 19 September
2025 and uploaded to the TANK webpage.
Following this, evidence from all other parties wil be filed, after which the Council wil have an
opportunity to lodge rebuttal evidence. Court hearings are expected to be held mid 2026.
Al evidence lodged for the hearings held in May 2021 by the PC9 Independent Hearing Panel can
be viewed by clicking on the link below:
•
https:/ www.hbrc.govt.nz/hawkes-bay/projects/the-tank-plan/tank-submissions-and-
hearings/
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Yours sincerely,
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