Whiringa-ā-rangi | November 2023
Kia ora koutou, welcome to our second to last eNews for 2023, which highlights many of the amazing people working together to support our region to thrive. This month features an exciting job opportunity, regional project updates, and thought-leadership:
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Vacancy: Project Lead – Regional Adaptation Plan
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Future Development Strategy – Update
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Regional Food System Strategy – Update
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Webinar: Innovation Solutions to the Housing Crisis – 12 Dec
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Latest Webinar Recordings available:
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Build4Climate 2030
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Navigating complex work programmes + article
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Presentation: Doing more with less – Growth & Housing Affordability in the context of a new Government
WRLC Vacancy: Project Lead – Regional Adaptation Plan
We are seeking a dedicated and talented climate change expert to join the WRLC Secretariat as a Regional Adaptation Plan Project Lead, based in our modern, central Wellington office.
In this 18-month, fixed-term role, you will play a crucial part in developing the foundation of adaptation planning in our region.
- Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the creation and delivery of the Regional Adaptation Plan to address climate change impacts.
- Establish strong working relationships with WRLC partners, including local government, iwi and central government to ensure a collaborative project team.
- Project initiation and leadership, including scoping, brief, resourcing and scheduling.
- Lead and motivate a high performing project team.
- Deliver a Regional Adaptation Plan that is supported by all partners.
Future Development Strategy – Update
On 9th November, the month-long Future Development Strategy consultation closed. One hundred submissions were received, with overall general support for the Draft Future Development Strategy. The submissions are now available online to read.
Public hearings
There are two public hearing dates for the submitters who said they wanted to be heard. The hearings are 10am -3pm on Monday 11th December at GWRC offices (100 Cuba Street – across from the bucket fountain), and Wednesday 13th at Kapiti Coast District Council Offices. You can attend in person or observe online.
Regional Food System Strategy Wānanga
In early November, an end-of-year wānanga was held over two days as part of the ongoing mahi for the Regional Food System Strategy. This event provided an exciting opportunity to bring together stakeholders and partners who have been involved in the strategy this year, including mana whenua, community organizations, central and local government, academia, and growers/food producers from across the region.
The first day of this wānanga was held online. Ahikā presented the data they have collected so far as part of their food system and food economy report. This included an overview of our regional food system, highlighting the quantity of fresh food grown in the region compared to our consumption, supply chain and food distribution mapping, and qualitative data on the barriers and opportunities for local food distribution and economic development.
Upcoming Thought Leader Webinars
We have some inspiring speakers and topics on the horizon. Do take advantage of these informative talks, which are usually 20-30 minutes, followed by Q&A.
WEBINAR: Exploring Innovative Solutions to our Housing Crisis
11:00-12:15PM, TUES 12.12.23
Presenters: Join Sam Stubbs, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Simplicity NZ, and David Loveridge, Managing Director of Watson Group, to hear their perspectives on the current state of housing in New Zealand.
Here in the Wellington-Wairarapa-Horowhenua region, the data tells us that we will need 99,000 new homes in the next 30 years. What innovations might we start exploring now, to set ourselves up for a positive housing future?
Sam will discuss Simplicity’s new Homes and Income Investment Fund – Fund aims to provide an alternative to traditional property and fixed income investors, by funding up to 25,000 homes over the long term, followed by David speaking to his experience as Manager Director of Watson Group and their approach: “to build more than a house but a beautiful life, in the places & communities we live.”
The webinar will conclude with a Q&A with the speakers. We hope you will join us.
Latest webinar recordings
Vision 2030: Building resiliently in the face of climate change
This webinar was an insightful panel discussion with Sharon Robinson and Kim Aitken, subject matter experts in the areas of sustainability and construction innovation.
In this discussion Kim and Sharon presented a snapshot of the challenges and opportunities present due to the need to adapt our buildings for climate change, and discuss transformative shifts they foresee in New Zealand’s construction landscape.
Navigating Complex Work Programmes
Innovation expert Daniel Hummerdal shared mindsets and tools for managing ambiguity, and finding opportunity in it.
Daniel shares approaches for managing power dynamics, opposing world views and mindsets, and creating collaboration where there is discord.
This webinar shares ideas to help you elevate your practice, and improve your and your stakeholders ability to see the bigger picture and act in service of that.
For more on this topic, the article below, ‘Navigating Complex Change’, accompanies this webinar.
This article will deepen your understanding of the difference between technical and adaptive challenges, and invites you to think beyond BAU to ‘business as nearly possible.’ It accompanies the webinar above on the same topic.
Doing more with less – Growth & Housing Affordability in the context of a new Government
Earlier in November, Greer O’Donnell Managing Director at The Urban Advisory, joined Shane Martin, Principal Economist at MRCagney hosted an engaging webinar to discuss the implications of Aotearoa electing a new government.
Questions explored included:
- How can Councils continue to deliver on long-term visions and existing growth and urban development goals, in a changing political environment?
- How can we align agendas, infrastructure financing tools, and the roles council play in urban development?
- Wellbeing, or economic prosperity, regional partnerships or city deals?
- What does this mean for existing plans and strategies? Are there new opportunities for funding?
About the Wellington Regional Leadership Committee
WRLC is a joint regional partnership which brings together Iwi leaders, Mayors, Ministers of Government, and an independent chair, to work collaboratively on cross-boundary, growth-related challenges in the Wellington-Wairarapa-Horowhenua region.
WRLC exists to find better ways of working together to cultivate a region where people want to live, work and thrive.
Our projects cover five broad key areas that are integral to our shared growth-related cross-boundary challenges. These five areas are iwi capacity, housing, climate, transport and economic development and recovery. Find out more about our work on our project page, and if you’d like to talk or collaborate – get in touch at hello@wrlc.org.nz.
