Te whakapakari tahi i tō tātau taiao. Enhancing our environment together. 2019-2020 Annual Report Summary hbrc.govt.nz hbrc.govt.nz We continue to drive progress toward a healthy environment. 2019-2020 SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT Part 1 – Introduction | Kupu Whakataki 4 Part 2 – Groups of Activities | Ngā Whakaroputanga Kaupapa 16 Part 3 – Financials | Pūronga Pūtea 36 Audit – Independent Auditor’s Report | He Ripoata Arotake Pūtea 40 ISBN Print: 978-0-947499-40-2 ISBN Digital: 978-0-947499-40-2 HBRC Publication Number 5545 Adapting to change~ Three key impacts set the background for the 2019-20 financial year – the global COVID-19 pandemic, a severe drought and the ongoing threat of climate change. [email protected] | +64 6 835 9200 159 Dalton Street. Napier 4110 Private Bag 6006, Napier 4142 hbrc.govt.nz INTRODUCTION KUPU WHAKATI Introduction MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR & CHIEF EXECUTIVE HE KUPU NĀ TE TOIHAU ME TE KAIWHAKAHAERE MATUA Adapting to change “ Three key impacts set the background for the 2019-20 financial year – the global COVID-19 pandemic, a severe drought and the ongoing threat of climate change.” Kia ora koutou It has been an extraordinary year on many levels, The sharemarket float of Napier Port on the New one in which we relied more heavily on technology Zealand Stock Exchange in August 2019 concluded than ever before, for essential service delivery and the Regional Council’s lengthy process to enable to support our own staff forced to work remotely the future-proofing of our Port, releasing the during the COVID-19 lockdown. funds for a new wharf and related infrastructure. The Port typically provides a healthy dividend to It was also a year in which regional councils across the Regional Council, offsetting the cost of rates New Zealand marked 30 years in existence and to ratepayers. The Regional Council retains 55% fulfilling obligations to manage air, land, water majority ownership in Napier Port and it expects and coastal environments under the Resource income from its investment to grow as the Port’s Management Act. We marked this year by potential is unlocked. continuing our ambitious programme of capability building for the Regional Council to deliver on its We have made steady progress in the area of responsibilities and our community’s aspirations. water security with a 3D aquifer-mapping project during the summer of 2019-20 and studies of water storage options. Te whakapakari tahi i tō tātau taiao. Enhancing our This summary covers Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s environment together. key achievements during the 2019-20 financial year – the second year of the 2018-28 Long Term Plan. 2020-2021 Annual The full Annual Report and Long Term Plan are online: Plan hbrc.govt.nz, search: #AnnualReports hbrc.govt.nz hbrc.govt.nz 4 KUPU WHAKATAKI | INTRODUCTION We marked this year by continuing our ambitious programme of capability building for the Regional Council to deliver on its responsibilities and our community’s aspirations. We consulted on the ‘TANK’ catchment plan for The following 2019-20 Annual the future health of Heretaunga waterways and we Report contains a detailed are progressively strengthening the capability and overview of highlights and financial capacity of our regulatory teams to enforce new analysis, which saw us end the year rules on forestry and farming. down in revenue due to COVID-19’s With the onset of COVID-19 restrictions in March impact on our investment income. 2020, the Regional Council quickly adapted Our planning and preparation toward our work plans. Our Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence a changed climate offers up its own Emergency Management Group coordinated a uncertainties. In the past year, COVID-19 welfare-led response to both COVID-19, and the and a severe drought have brought daily prolonged drought experienced south of Hastings uncertainty much closer to all of us. and across Central Hawke’s Bay. As an organisation focused on the resilience Numerous funding applications were developed at and prosperity of our region, we will speed to ensure that Hawke’s Bay received strong continue to drive progress toward a healthy Government consideration for economic stimulus environment, and adapt our plans to address as a result of COVID-19. These applications new issues and opportunities as they emerge. have subsequently led to substantial funding for economic support and to improve flood- protection infrastructure. Ngā mihi nui Our Regional Council has worked closely with the ministries for the Environment and Primary Industries during the development of Essential Freshwater reform. This was critical early input which will help us to implement new regulations, working with our communities to improve our environment. The impact of COVID-19 considerations on our community and our own staff was unprecedented, but the technology uptake and commitment from staff during restrictions and in the months that followed meant that our work for the year was Rex Graham James Palmer largely delivered to plan. Chair Chief Executive KUPU WHAKATAKI | INTRODUCTION 5 MESSAGE FROM THE MĀORI COMMITTEE CO-CHAIRS HE KUPU NĀ NGĀ TOIHAU KŌMITI MĀORI Partnerships with Māori “ E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga Iwi, Hapū, Whānau, Marae o te Matau a Māui e pae nei, tēnā koutou katoa. Tēnā koutou hoki i runga i o tātou mate tuatini kua riro ki Te Pō. Ko te tangi ki a rātou, haere atu rā, moe marire mai. Tai pō, ko rātou te hunga mate ki a rātou, Tāi awatea, ko tātou te hunga ora ki a tātou, kia ora mai tātou katoa.” He mihi anō hoki ki a koe e Mike Mohi, i ngā tau provided by Tihei Mauri Ora Emergency Response kua pāhure 2011-2019, nāu nei te Kaitia o te waka Centre – in collaboration with Hawke’s Bay Civil e kiia nei Te Kōmiti Māori, te rangatira e tū ki te Defence Emergency Group across Te Matau a Māui. The effects of COVID-19 will continue to be felt for a kei o te waka. E kore nei e mimiti te mihi manahau long time across our wider community. ki a koe e Mikaere. Tenā anō māua ko Michelle te mihi atu ki a koe e Joinella, te Tiamana o te The Māori Committee and Regional Planning Committee also made a significant contribution Regional Planning Kōmiti. He waka hourua te anga to Hawke’s Bay 3-Waters Review, and it was whakamua o te Regional Planning me te Kōmiti acknowledged by the five councils that Tāngata Māori, mō wai, ā, mō tātau katoa. Kia kaha, kia Whenua input combined to form a strong cultural maia tāua i tēnei mahi rangatira. case in the report. Regional Council’s relationships with Tāngata This year COVID-19 has presented significant Whenua is further enhanced with the team of challenges, disruption and ongoing uncertainty. four in the Māori Partnerships Group – Te Pou It has also been a difficult time for many whānau, Whakarae, a Senior Advisor Māori Partnerships, but in the face of this challenge we have seen a a Māori Engagement Coordinator and a new unified community response with many agencies secondment Northern Area Manager role based in and organisations actively working together. We the Wairoa office. They are growing Council-wide wish to acknowledge at this time the welfare cultural capacity, enhancing Council’s engagement 6 KUPU WHAKATAKI | INTRODUCTION In the face of this challenge we have seen a unified community response with many agencies and organisations actively working together. with Tāngata Whenua and meeting statutory The Māori Committee members and the Māori requirements. We wish to acknowledge Pieri and his staff on the Council welcome your views and team, who are continuing to blossom in their role as concerns at any time. we row our waka forward together. May God bless you all and keep you well and safe. The Regional Council’s Māori Committee Mā te Atua koutou e manaaki, e tiaki i ngā wā is recognised as a pathway for flax roots katoa. environmental issues to be discussed at the hui table with the elected Councillors. Nāku noa, nā We wish to also at this time acknowledge the work of Kāhui Wai Māori and their mahi Te Mana o Te Wai, The health of our Wai; the health of our Nation, most especially the hierarchy of obligations recognising the mauri of our wai. We Mike Paku and Michelle McIlroy also applaud the inclusion of the key Māori Committee Co-Chairs attribute “Mahinga kai” in the revised National Freshwater policy. KUPU WHAKATAKI | INTRODUCTION 7 Our Performance Measures This is a summary of KEY: our service measures. = TARGET NOT MET Comprehensive results are available = TARGET PARTIALLY MET in the full Annual Report, hbrc.govt.nz, = TARGET MET search: #AnnualReports. Governance & Partnerships Strategic Planning 1.6% Rate of return on investments. TARGET: >5% 19 submissions on resource The COVID-19 crisis made management-related proposals made to the target unachievable. local and central government this year. TARGET: MAINTAIN OR INCREASING TREND Integrated more than 700 HECTARES Catchment 11,881 FIRES of highly erodible replaced with clean Management heat systems since land planted in financial assistance trees. We planted 94 programme hectares last year. This HeatSmart is the second year of the started in 2009. Erosion Control Scheme. TARGET: 1,000 PER ANNUM TARGET: 2,000 HECTARES OF (678 replaced in 2019-20) LAND UNDER COVER ZERO exceedances 100% of 141 Rook of PM10 in the Napier plant pest nests treated. airshed. TARGET: 1 inspections We are seeing a decreasing trend in the ONE exceedance & actions were number of active rook nests. of PM10 in the Hastings completed in target TARGET: BETTER THAN 5 YEAR airshed. TARGET: 3 timeframes.