Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee
24 July 2025
Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee Minutes
Meeting held in the Council Chamber
36 Water Street, Whangārei
on Thursday 24 July 2025, commencing at 1:00 pm
Tuhinga/Present:
Deputy Chairperson, WDC Councillor Scott McKenzie
Councillor Amy Macdonald
FNDC Deputy Mayor Kelly Stratford (Online)
WDC iwi/hapu representative Delaraine Armstrong (Online)
FNDC iwi/hapu representative Nyze Manuel (Online)
WDC iwi/hapu alternate Hinemoa Apetera (Online)
I
Tae Mai/In Attendance:
Full Meeting
NRC Group Manager - Community Resilience, Louisa Gritt
NRC Regional Climate Adaptation Lead, Rakesh Pinao
NRC Climate Resilience Fund Administrator, Claire
Lewinski
NRC Climate Action and Natural Hazards Manager, Natalie
Child
NRC Regional Adaptation Programme Coordinator, Nicole
Ross
NRC Zero Carbon Transition Advisor, Michelle Howe
NRC Climate Resilience Advisor, Kim Wall
NRC Natural Hazards Analyst, Anna Talbot
WDC Programme Manager – Climate Change Adaptation, Roselyn Naidu
FNDC GM Planning & Policy,
Roger Ackers
FNDC Adaptation Programme Lead, Katy
Simon
Te Whakahaere Ahuarangi Ltd, Mark Baker Jones
Natural Hazards Specialist, Sarah Gauden-Ing
Kaiawhina Kaupapa Māori, Jordan Moon
FNDC Māori Resilience, Sarah Peri
FNDC Manager Climate Action and Resilience, Esther Powell
Ngatiwai Engagement Consultant, Arama Morunga
Part Meeting
WDC Alternate Nicholas Connop
The Deputy Chair declared the meeting open at 1:01 pm with a
Karakia.
Ngā Mahi Whakapai/Housekeeping (Item 1.0)
Ngā
whakapahā/Apologies (Item
2.0)
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Moved (Macdonald/ McKenzie)
That the apologies from
Councillor Chairperson, Te Uri o Hau and Te Roroa Representative Fiona Kemp, Te
Uri o Hau and Te Roroa Alternate Snow Tane, KDC Mayor Craig Jepson, and NRC
iwi/hapu representative George Riley, for non-attendance be received.
Carried
Secretarial note: Apologies from Jason Marris, NRC
Chief Executive Officer, Jono Gibbard, Mike Smith (NRC Contractor) , Simon Weston
(WDC), Cr Tui Shortland and WDC Mayor Vince Cocurullo were also received.
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Confirmation of Minutes - 20 March 2025 (Item 4.1)
Report from Claire Lewinski, Climate Resilience Fund
Administrator
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Moved (Macdonald/ McKenzie)
Ngā mahi tūtohutia
/ Recommendation
That the minutes of the Joint
Climate Change Adaptation Committee meeting held on 20 March 2025 be
confirmed as a true and correct record and that these be duly authenticated
by the Chair.
Carried
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Receipt of Action Sheet (Item 5.1)
Report from Claire Lewinski, Climate Resilience Fund
Administrator
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Moved (Macdonald/ McKenzie)
Nga mahi
tutohutia / Recommendation
That the action sheet be
received.
Carried
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Findings from the Regional Climate Action Leadership
Investigation (Item 6.1)
Report from Rakesh Pinao, Regional Climate Adaptation
Programme Lead
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Recommendation(s)
Moved ( McKenzie/ Stratford)
1.
That the report ‘Findings from the Regional Climate Action
Leadership Investigation’ by Rakesh Pinao, Regional Climate Adaptation
Programme Lead and dated 24 June 2025, be received.
Carried
Secretarial note: NRC Regional Climate
Adaptation Lead and Te Whakahaere Ahuarangi Ltd summarised the report
highlighting 3 areas to improve JCCAC efficiency: clear governance
responsibilities, coordinated regional governance, and consistent
decision-making processes. The council discussed the report and its
recommendations. FNDC Deputy Mayor Stratford raised concerns about the
timeline for the governance activation pathway given the pending election.
NRC Group Manager - Community Resilience explained that the endorsement of
the report would allow the next committee to propose timelines and implement
the recommendations. It was confirmed that iwi representation will remain
standing through the election process.
Moved (Stratford / Manuel)
2.
That the Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee accept the
findings of the Technical Report and as outlined in the Report Summary.
Carried
Moved (McKenzie / Macdonald)
3. That
the Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee endorse the Governance
Activation Pathway for inclusion into the governance workstream of the
programme, and requests a plan is developed for the committee to be
considered at its next meeting.
Carried
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FNDC Community
Adaptation Programme - JCCAC Review (Item 6.2)
Report from Katy Simon, FNDC - Adaptation Programme
Lead
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Recommendation(s)
Moved (Stratford / Manuel)
1. That
the report ‘FNDC Community Adaptation Programme - JCCAC Review’
by Katy Simon, FNDC - Adaptation Programme Lead and dated 24 June 2025, be
received.
2. That
the Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee endorse Te
Kaunihera o Te Hiku o Te Ika – Far North District Council’s draft
Community Adaptation Programme, Te Hōtaka Urutau Hapori.
Carried
Secretarial note: The FNDC Adaptation Programme Lead provided an overview of the Far
North District Council Community Adaptation Programme, outlining proposed
updates to the report and emphasising the need for a comprehensive,
coordinated approach to adaptation planning. The Council discussed the
programme and its recommendations.
Members
highlighted the importance of integrating climate change adaptation into
Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) planning, noting the
legislative requirement to provide civil defence services, with climate
adaptation playing a key role in risk reduction and recovery.
Cr Macdonald
inquired about the status of adaptation planning across other councils, which
the NRC’s Climate Adaptation Lead noted their work with Whangārei
District Council.
Further
discussion was held around broadening the scope of this committee to include
wider climate action initiatives.
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Programme Update (Item 6.3)
Report from Rakesh Pinao, Regional Climate Adaptation
Programme Lead
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Ngā mahi tūtohutia /
Recommendation
Moved (McKenzie
/ Stratford)
That the report ‘Programme
Update’ by Rakesh Pinao, Regional Climate Adaptation Programme Lead and
dated 24 June 2025, be received.
Carried
Secretarial note: WDC Programme Manager – Climate Change
Adaptation provided an update on the WDC adaptation program,
highlighting the progress made in building relationships with the community
and the upcoming pilot project.
NRC’s Regional Climate Adaptation Lead presented
the programme update, including the priority actions and performance
scorecard. The council discussed the progress made and the challenges faced
in implementing the adaptation plans.
Action:
1. Committee
recommends that staff are directed to provide a draft in brief for incoming
councillors.
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Whakamutunga (Conclusion)
The meeting concluded at 2.43 pm.