Office of the Chief Freshwater CommissionerGovernment

The Office of the Chief Freshwater Commissioner is an independent statutory body in New Zealand responsible for overseeing the freshwater planning process under the Resource Management Act. Its primary mandate is to convene and manage independent freshwater hearings panels to review and make recommendations on proposed regional freshwater policy statements and plans. Established under the Resource Management Amendment Act 2020, the office must be led by a current or retired Environment Court judge, with Professor Peter Skelton appointed as its inaugural commissioner.