The Southland Regional Forum is welcoming five new members to the team to help complete its work over the next 18 months. 

They are Cain Duncan, Darren Rewi, Rose Hanley-Nickolls, Sean Bragg and Steph Blair. 

The Forum was formed in early 2019 to consider and advise Environment Southland and Te Ao Marama Incorporated Board on the options available to achieve Southland communities’ aspirations for freshwater. 

But some of the initial appointees have had changes in circumstances over the last two years and haven’t been able to continue their roles.  

The recruitment process to attract new members received applications from 18 highly qualified people with a range of skills and experience, says Environment Southland People, Water and Land programme manager Bonny Lawrence. 

"The new members have been appointed based on their interests and capability, and their fit with the existing Regional Forum team," she says.

The are now 17 people who now make up the forum, ranging in age from under 24 to over 65. There are eight women and nine men, and four tangata whenua.

Members live right across Southland including Bluff, Gore, Riverton, Te Anau, Winton, Wyndham, Tuatapere, Tokanui and Invercargill. One member currently resides in Queenstown. 

Occupations include dairy, sheep, beef and deer farmers, environmental education and project management, industry, and consultants. Community, professional and other interests are many and varied, reflecting the diversity of the Southland region. 

Dr Eva Hendriks, principal iwi advisor to the People, Water and Land programme said: "The five new members bring a strong te ao Māori and tikanga Māori knowledge, which was one area where the forum members felt they needed more support." 

“The forum also recognised the need for additional voices with an urban perspective,” she said.