About the Office of the Chief Freshwater Commissioner

The Office of the Chief Freshwater Commissioner is an independent secretariat that supports the Chief Freshwater Commissioner in their role.

In 2020 the Resource Management Act was amended to introduce a new planning process the Freshwater Planning Process (FPP) to be used by regional councils and unitary authorities for freshwater planning instruments.

The amendments also created the roles of the Chief Freshwater Commissioner and freshwater commissioners. The FPP is overseen by the Chief Freshwater Commissioner, who is supported by highly-skilled freshwater commissioners that are appointed by the Minister for the Environment.

View the amendments [New Zealand Legislation website]