The Minister for the Environment appoints freshwater commissioners to create a group of highly skilled commissioners who will be placed on specific freshwater hearings panels. This is similar to the way that the Chief Environment Court Judge appoints Environment Commissioners.

The freshwater commissioners are overseen by the Chief Freshwater Commissioner.

Requirements to be appointed as a freshwater commissioner

Freshwater commissioners must be accredited under section 39A of the Resource Management Act 1991 and collectively they must have knowledge of and expertise in:

• judicial processes and cross-examination
• freshwater quality, quantity and ecology
• the Resource Management Act 1991
• tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori.