2 November 2026
An independent review of forestry consenting and compliance in Tairāwhiti has found Gisborne District Council acted diligently, in good faith and on a risk-based basis. The Panel found Council’s regulatory approach was proportionate to the significant environmental risks facing the region.
The review also confirms that stronger forestry controls are necessary in Tairāwhiti, while identifying practical improvements for Council, the forestry sector and central government.
Mayor Rehette Stoltz says the findings provide important independent assurance about Council’s approach while highlighting the wider challenges facing the region.
“Forestry is an important part of our regional economy, and we want to see a successful and environmentally sustainable industry.
“But Tairāwhiti faces exceptional challenges. Our steep, erosion-prone land, exposure to severe weather and the consequences for downstream communities mean we cannot apply the same approaches used elsewhere.
“The Panel has confirmed that stronger regulatory controls are justified by those risks, and that Council has acted appropriately in carrying out its responsibilities.
“The review gives us confidence in the direction we have taken, while also being clear that Council, industry and central government all have work to do.”
The Panel found Council’s standard consent conditions were sound, its regulatory decision-making was carefully considered, and its compliance and enforcement approach was grounded in the risks being managed.
It also found no evidence of an anti-forestry bias and did not substantiate claims that Council was driving forestry companies away.
Chief Executive Nedine Thatcher Swann says the review provides an important evidence base for improving the regulatory system.
“We commissioned this review to independently test whether our approach was reasonable, proportionate and effective, rather than to confirm what we believed.
“The findings provide assurance that the fundamentals of our regulatory approach are sound. They also identify areas where we need to improve, and we accept that responsibility.”
The Panel recommended improved regulatory communication and guidance, stronger access to specialist forestry expertise, better coordination between consenting and compliance, and more proactive engagement alongside formal enforcement.
“We will work through those recommendations and act where change is needed,” says Ms Thatcher Swann.
“Our aim is to make the system easier to understand and work with, while maintaining the environmental protections this region needs.”
The review found that the consent applications examined were processed within or near statutory timeframes, with significant time devoted to obtaining site-specific information, refining proposals and resolving conditions.
It also found that incomplete or insufficiently detailed consent applications can contribute to delays and identified opportunities for continued improvement in forestry-sector capability, application quality and the sharing of good practice.
“Improving the system is a shared responsibility,” says Ms Thatcher Swann.
“The Panel recognises the improvements already made by forestry operators, as well as the work Council has underway. We want to build on that progress.
“Council needs to provide clear and timely guidance, while forestry applicants have an important role in ensuring applications contain the technical information needed for efficient assessment.
“A more predictable and efficient consenting system benefits everyone, but efficiency cannot come at the expense of managing the environmental risks our communities face.”
The review also highlights the need for a more strategic response to the wider forestry and land-use challenges facing Tairāwhiti.
Mayor Stoltz says this is one of the report’s most significant conclusions.
“The Panel has identified that some of the challenges we face cannot be resolved through individual resource consents or enforcement decisions.
“With significant areas of forest approaching harvest, we need national settings that are capable of responding to the risks, supporting good forestry practice and enabling the transition of our most vulnerable land to more sustainable uses.
“The Crown has played a significant role in the history of forestry in Tairāwhiti. It also has an important role in helping shape the solutions for the future.
“This is not about shifting responsibility. Council has work to do, the industry has work to do, and we need central government alongside us to address the issues that cannot be resolved locally.”
Council will now consider the Panel’s recommendations and develop a coordinated implementation plan, building on improvements already underway.
“Our priority is to turn the findings into practical action,” says Ms Thatcher Swann.
“We have an independent assessment of what is working, what needs to improve and where wider action is required. That gives us a sound basis to move forward.”
Mayor Stoltz says the report provides an opportunity to move the regional conversation forward.
“We all want a viable forestry sector, safer communities and healthier waterways.
“This review gives us a stronger evidence base for working towards those outcomes, and an opportunity to focus on solutions rather than continuing to debate the same issues.”
Read the Independent Assurance Review of Forestry Consenting and Compliance in Tairāwhiti.