Tuesday, 30 September 2025
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES WORKSHOP
11:00am PART 1: MANA WHAKAHAERE – GOVERNANCE AND INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
How are indigenous communities able to make decisions that maintain, protect, and sustain the health and well-being of, and their relationship with, freshwater, and equitable access to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services?
Participants will learn about different water governance frameworks from across the region.
How do these frameworks for water and sanitation services meet the needs of indigenous communities?
How to incorporate aspects of them into their work by learning from real world examples.
In Te Reo Māori mana whakahaere means governance.
Session Chair: Mereana Taungapeau, Aporei Māori, Principal Māori Advisor, Auckland Council and co-chair Te Ama | Aukaha te Wai, Water New Zealand Special Interest Group
Te Ama – the outrigger- aukaha te wai – that strengths and reinforces us – the wai, our kaupapa and mahi.
Panellists:
- Gabrielle Huria, Chief Executive, Te Kua Taka Pini, Ngai Tahu, New Zealand
- Phil Duncan, Galambany Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra, Gomeroi Nation, Australia
- Susheel Arora, Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, Canada
- Dr. Susan (Sue) Bell Chiblow is Anishinaabe, born and raised in Garden River First Nation, Canada
2:00pm PART 2: KAITIAKITANGA AND MĀTAURANGA – INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES SUPPORTING THE GUARDIANSHIP AND PROTECTION OF WATER THROUGH SHARING OF INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE, CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES
How can nature-based solutions, circular approaches and bioengineering in support of water and sanitation services be enhanced by indigenous knowledge, concepts and practice?
Participants will learn about how there can be environmental enhancement/restoration across water, wastewater and stormwater services from working with indigenous communities on nature-based solutions/circular economy/bioengineering, and how to incorporate aspects of them into their work by learning from real world examples.
In Te Reo Māori kaitiakitanga means guardianship and protection; Mātauranga means knowledge.
Session Chair: Troy Brockbank, Te Mana o te Wai Lead, Beca (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāpuhi, Ngātiwai, Ngāti Kahu). Former Water New Zealand Board member
Panellists:
- Donna Sutherland, Te Kura Taka Pini, New Zealand
- Jordin Payne, Deputy Chair Yarrawarra Steering Committee and Principal Community Relationships, Water Corporation, Australia
- Kepa Morgan, Pou Hautu Managing Director, Mahi Maioro Professionals, New Zealand
4:00pm PART 3: RESILIENCE – CAPACITY OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TO SELF-SUPPLY AND SELF MANAGE/OPERATE
What capability and capacity development approaches to strengthen indigenous community participation in the delivery of WASH services are needed to optimize the combination of innovative technology and traditional environmental management?
Participants will learn about different approaches to capability and capacity development, and how to incorporate aspects of them into their work by learning from real world examples.
Session Chair: Soltice Morrison, Māori Strategy Lead, Aurecon and Water New Zealand Board member (Ngāti Whakaue, Rereahu-Maniapoto)
Panellists:
- Corey Hebberd, Kaiwhakahaere Matua (General Manager) Rangitāne o Wairau, New Zealand
- Nina Braid, Aboriginal Partnerships, Yarra Valley Water, Director Australian Water Association
- Nancy Tuaine, Chief Executive, Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui, New Zealand
Wednesday, 1 October 2025
11:00am UTILITY WORKSHOP
Session Chair: Adam Lovell, Chief Executive, Water Services Association of Australasia
Priyan Perera, Chief Strategy and Planning Officer, Watercare Services and Water New Zealand Board member
Panellists:
- David Ryan, Chief Executive, SA Water and Chair WSAA, Australia
- Nerina di Lorenzo, Chief Executive, Melbourne Water, Australia
- Jamie Sinclair, Chief Executive, Watercare Services, New Zealand
- Susheel Arora, Chief Executive, Atlantic First Nations Water Authority, Canada
- Dr Yi-Fung Wang, Deputy Director General of Water Resources Agency, Taiwan
- Ir. Azlan Abdullah, Head of Department – Production (Topic 1, 2 or 3)
- Ir. Zairi Bin Zainuddin, Head of Water Quality Department, Air Selangor, Malaysia (Topic 1, 2 or 3)
- Ms Luijing Zhang, China Water Environment Group
- Chee Meng Pang, Director Water Quality, PUB Singapore
