Announcing Winners of The 2023 Nancy Northcroft Award

Friday was a big night for planning. Following a week of celebrations where we honoured the winners of our Best Practice Awards across four categories and the Rodney Davies Project Award at NZPIC23. The conference closed with our pinnacle gala event, where we announced the winners of the Nancy Northcroft Planning Practice Award, the Institute’s supreme award for excellence in planning practice.

The Nancy Northcroft Award is selected by the Awards Committee from the winners of the Best Practice Award across all categories and the Rodney Davies Project Award. This award recognises excellence in planning practice and considers the following attributes:

• Creativity and innovation in the methods involved,
• The quality and innovation of presentation of any report or material,
• The extent to which best-practice planning process and practice, including sustainable management, is promoted.
  

We’re immensely proud to announce the winner of the 2023 Nancy Northcroft supreme planning award for Aotearoa for 2023 is:

• Ngāti Pikiao Environmental Society
• Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū
• Whakaue Marae Trustees
• Conroy and Donald Consultants Limited

For: He Toka Tū Moana Mō Maketū (Maketū Climate Change Adaptation Plan)

The 2023 Nancy Northcroft the supreme award was received on behalf of the wider collective by:

• Roana Bennett (TRoNW),
• Raewyn Bennett (NPNkT),
• Petera Tapsell (WMT) and
• Elva Conroy (Conroy and Donald Consultants).

Winners of the NZPI Best Practice Award for Non-Statutory Planning for 2023, the Maketū Iwi Collective are truly deserving of the 2023 supreme award. Described as an iwi led initiative for the whole community, this plan was prepared by who live in Maketū and have the connection with the place that spans generations.

What is the He Toka Tū Moana Mō Maketū (Maketū Climate Change Adaptation Plan?

The Maketu community has seen more frequent coastal flooding, including near Whakaue Marae, following subtropical storms. In 2019, large swells caused a landslide, causing koiwi (human remains) to tumble from the clifftop urupā at Ōkurei to the beach below.

In 2022, the Maketu Iwi Collective brought together the community to build a common understanding and awareness about the potential impacts of a changing climate on their homes, cultural infrastructure, food supplies, livelihoods and surrounding environment.

He Toka Tū Moana Mō Maketū is the result - an Iwi-led community-involved plan which outlines local solutions to an increasingly evident problem. It includes high level strategic objectives along with specific on-the-ground actions at whānau and community level. Tying it all together is the absolute commitment to restoring the taiao, protecting the people and native species of Maketū, and influencing government and business to do everything possible to reduce the impacts of climate change and to accelerate the transition to a carbon free economy.

In the words of the Maketu Iwi Collective:

“We will be resilient like the anchor stone Takaparore – strong and steadfast against the elements and tides of change and uncertainty. Regardless of what happens as a result of a changing environment, we will remain standing”.