M ÄO R I R E P R E S E N TAT I O N I N L O CAL GO VE R N M E N T Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Act 2010 Following a government review of Environment Canterbury in 2009 and early 2010, known as the Creech Report, the Government passed new legislation to temporarily replace Environment Canterbury's 14 elected councillors with seven commissioners. The commissioners began work on 1 May 2010. The commissioners are required to improve relations with Canterbury's 10 territorial councils, to build on the work of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy, and to meet all the statutory obligations of the Resource Management and Local Government Acts to consult with the Canterbury community. The Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Act 2010 provided that the new commissioners "will act as the council’s governing body until new elected members come into office following the next election." The Act stipulates that the 2010 elections for Environment Canterbury members will not be held, and the commissioners are likely to hold office until the next triennial election in 2013. Section 14 of the Act provides that commissioners must have collective knowledge and expertise in certain matters, which include "tikanga Mäori, as it applies in the Canterbury region." In consultation with Te Runanga o Ngäi Tahu, this led to the appointment of Donald Crouch as an Environment Canterbury commissioner. Mr Couch is, among other things, a trustee, Ngäi Tahu Ancillary Claims Trust and Rapaki trustee (appointed by the Mäori Land Court), and was until recently Deputy Kaiwhakahaere, Te Runanga o Ngäi Tahu. As a result of this Act, the current Environment Canterbury effectively has dedicated Mäori representation. It is unclear whether this will continue when elections for the council are next held in 2013. 21