New Zealand water storage: Proposal to adopt Tasmanian model

Federated Farmers water storage spokesperson Richard Dawkins suggests that New Zealand should adopt a more coordinated approach to water infrastructure, similar to the model used in Tasmania.

Currently, New Zealand water projects face recurring obstacles including financing, consenting processes, and the loss of institutional knowledge once projects are completed. Dawkins notes that individual communities often struggle to reinvent the wheel for every new scheme, from Northland to Central Otago.

In contrast, Tasmania utilizes a dedicated entity with specialized expertise to assess projects, work with local communities, and move viable schemes through development. This centralized capability allows for consistent engineering and commercial standards while ensuring that lessons learned are applied to future projects. IrrigationNZ is reportedly advocating for a similar coordinated model in New Zealand.