Christchurch West Melton Zone Committee – new members

Four new community members have been appointed to the Christchurch - West Melton Zone Committee to help deliver the goals of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS).

The four new members of the Committee are Chris Kelliher, Hamish Keown, Jane Doogue and Lan Pham.

Chris Kelliher lives north of West Melton where he grazes livestock and holds a small irrigation consent. Chris has extensive experience in the banking sector. He holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce, and is a keen fisherman.

Hamish Keown lives in Riccarton and is currently the chairperson of Christchurch Ōtautahi Youth Council. Hamish is studying for a Bachelor of Environmental Management and Planning.

Jane Doogue lives in Cashmere and has a background in communications and community engagement. She has recently completed a Master of Environment Policy and Management, and holds undergraduate degrees in Commerce and Arts. Jane enjoys many recreational pursuits in the outdoors including on our local rivers and waterways.

Lan Pham lives in Opawa and has a strong interest in freshwater ecosystems. Lan is a director of a recently formed freshwater conservation trust which works with community groups in Canterbury, Otago and Southland. Lan holds a Master of Science in Freshwater Ecology, is a member of the New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society and the New Zealand Association for Environment Education.

The newly appointed members replace Deidre Francis who was Deputy Chair of the Committee and a community representative, Ann Winstanley and Jon Harding who were also both community representatives.

“Deidre, Ann and Jon have given a huge amount of time and energy over the past years in supporting the CWMS through their work on the Christchurch - West Melton Zone Committee. On behalf of the committee I want to thank them for this commitment,” said Ian Fox, Chair of the Christchurch West Melton Zone Committee.

“The selection process focussed on finding people who can see others’ points of views and who can work collaboratively to find solutions for water issues. It’s exciting to have a fresh group of members who are passionate about making a positive difference in local water management,” he added.

Each of Canterbury’s ten water management zone committees undertakes a refresh of community members to ensure fresh perspectives are represented.

Implementation of the CWMS commenced in 2010 following several years of community consultation to determine how best to manage the region’s water resource.

The CWMS provides a collaborative framework for addressing issues about water management with a vision to enable present and future generations to gain greatest social, economic, recreational and cultural benefits from our water resources within an environmentally sustainable framework.

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