There were plenty of important people at the Otago Regional Council (ORC) meeting in Cromwell yesterday.

As well as a presentation by parliamentary commissioner for the environment Simon Upton and chief economist Geoff Simmons, Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan attended with councillors Tracy Paterson and Tamah Alley.

The public gallery was full and four people chose to speak on issues ranging from private hydro generation to the perceived over allocation of water rights.

Simon explained his role as commissioner as being independent from the Government and said he was the fourth person to hold that position of office.

He discussed his recent report reviewing the management of the environment in New Zealand, ‘Going Against The Grain,’ which had been three years in the making.

Consultation with farmers, community, iwi and business owners were all essential and he learned a lot about people in the process, “which was more interesting than the environmental stuff,” he said.

Things to note from the report included that the bigger land use change from 1996 to 2018 was the move from low producing grasslands to more exotic forestry.

But the problems remained the same and the way people used their land needed to change in some places, he said.

“There are land uses that just don’t match what the land can actually sustain and support,” he said.

ORC chair Gretchen Robertson said the council welcomed the opportunity to hear firsthand from the parliamentary commissioner, who drew on six years of research to present practical suggestions around land use change.

“These are big topics facing all regions across the nation. The state of our environment, changes currently underway and projected change needs considered as communities work together to strategically tackle the challenges and look for opportunities to ensure we can all thrive now and for the future.”

Councillors will today be taking the opportunity to visit a range of organisations and view different projects around the district.