Environment Southland

Invercargill-Rakiura Constituency
Environment Southland is the regional council for Southland. It makes decisions about managing resources in the region, such as air, water, soil and the coastline. It also carries out plant and pest control, helps prepare for natural disasters, and is involved in regional transport. The council is made up of 12 councillors. Councillors are elected to represent constituencies (areas in the region). Six councillors will be elected from the Invercargill-Rakiura constituency. This is a first past the post (FPP) election, so you vote by ticking the name of your preferred candidate on your ballot paper. Compare the candidates and their policies to decide who to vote for in the Environment Southland election.

Freshwater

The worsening state of New Zealand’s lakes and rivers is a major challenge for regional councils, which play a leading role in managing freshwater in their areas. To this end, regional councils create plans to protect water resources from contaminants and overuse.

Freshwater

The worsening state of New Zealand’s lakes and rivers is a major challenge for regional councils, which play a leading role in managing freshwater in their areas. To this end, regional councils create plans to protect water resources from contaminants and overuse.

  • Evaluate the regional forum's recommendations and adapt or implement them alongside national environmental standards and policy statements.

    Design forward-looking water use and storage opportunities in line with changing climate, land use and urban development.

    Promote urban connection with local waterways.

  • Discourage water-intensive industry and farming practices.

    Strengthen requirements to protect river flows and water levels.

    Support the repurposing of floodplains to protect water quality.

  • Encourage and enforce regulations which safeguard and minimise discharges into waterways, creeks and rivers.

    Continue to support maximum flow patterns into the Waiau River.

  • Encourage water conservation and best practice by all users – urban and rural.

    Increase efforts to prevent sediment run-off into waterways and the ocean.

    Investigate back-up sources of water for emergency use for catchments already under too much pressure.

  • Implement the recommendations of the Regional Forum so that water quality is improved where it is poor and maintained where it is good.

    Ensure that businesses are drought resilient by encouraging practises that value water and use it as efficiently as possible.

    Ensure that minimum flows in rivers are set to protect river ecosystems while allowing efficient and effective water use for the economy.

  • Encourage community awareness around everyone's role in minimising adverse effects on water quality.

    Actively manage irrigation consents across whole catchments to prevent overuse.

    Require Territorial Local Authorities to actively monitor discharges to water from industrial activities and sewerage discharges.

  • Evaluate the regional forum's recommendations and adapt or implement them alongside national environmental standards and policy statements.

    Design forward-looking water use and storage opportunities in line with changing climate, land use and urban development.

    Promote urban connection with local waterways.

  • Discourage water-intensive industry and farming practices.

    Strengthen requirements to protect river flows and water levels.

    Support the repurposing of floodplains to protect water quality.

  • Encourage and enforce regulations which safeguard and minimise discharges into waterways, creeks and rivers.

    Continue to support maximum flow patterns into the Waiau River.

  • Encourage water conservation and best practice by all users – urban and rural.

    Increase efforts to prevent sediment run-off into waterways and the ocean.

    Investigate back-up sources of water for emergency use for catchments already under too much pressure.

  • Implement the recommendations of the Regional Forum so that water quality is improved where it is poor and maintained where it is good.

    Ensure that businesses are drought resilient by encouraging practises that value water and use it as efficiently as possible.

    Ensure that minimum flows in rivers are set to protect river ecosystems while allowing efficient and effective water use for the economy.

  • Encourage community awareness around everyone's role in minimising adverse effects on water quality.

    Actively manage irrigation consents across whole catchments to prevent overuse.

    Require Territorial Local Authorities to actively monitor discharges to water from industrial activities and sewerage discharges.