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About

Irrigation NZ

  1. Business / Trading Name: Irrigation New Zealand Incorporated (commonly branded as IrrigationNZ). (Note: IrrigationNZ also wholly owns a subsidiary company, INZ Accreditation Limited.)

  1. Company Number: 220715 (incorporation number as listed on the Incorporated Societies Register)

  1. NZBN: 9429042686019 (as listed on the Incorporated Societies Register)

  1. Entity Type: Not-for-profit Incorporated Society – a voluntary membership body representing irrigation interests. (INZ Accreditation Ltd is a standard NZ Limited Company, 100% owned by the society.)

  1. Business Classification: Industry association for water/irrigation sector advocacy and training. (Listed under “Water Supply and Irrigation Systems” industry). The society’s purpose is to promote efficient and sustainable irrigation – effectively an agricultural advocacy and education group.

  1. Industry Category: Agriculture & Water Management – specifically the irrigation sub-sector supporting farming (dairy, cropping, horticulture, etc.). Also falls under Lobbying/Advocacy for rural water issues.

  1. Year Founded: 2004 – IrrigationNZ was established in 2004 amid rapid growth of irrigated agriculture in NZ. (It succeeded earlier regional irrigation groups as a national body.)

  1. Addresses: Originally based at Lincoln Research Centre in Canterbury (PO Box 69119, Lincoln 7640) with an office in Christchurch (6 Sonter Rd, Wigram). In 2020 it relocated headquarters to Wellington – current office at Floor 5, 342 Lambton Quay, Wellington Central, 6011, New Zealand. Postal address: PO Box 8014, Wellington 6140

  1. Website URL:

https://www.irrigationnz.co.nz

  1. LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/company/irrigationnz (Official IrrigationNZ LinkedIn page).

  1. Company Hub NZ URL: N/A for society. (INZ Accreditation Ltd profile: nzwao.com/companies/inz-accreditation-limited/, showing IrrigationNZ Inc as ultimate owner.)

  1. NZ Companies Office URL: https://app.businessregisters.govt.nz/sber-businesses/viewInstance/view.html?id=229a78e05307b6d8bf1b29667f00cb17a16c73b4339d0c4a&_timestamp=3068041919176915 (Incorporated Societies Register)

  1. Social Media URLs:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IrrigationNewZealand

(No official Instagram, Twitter or YouTube identified; active on Facebook.)

  1. Ultimate Holding Company: None. IrrigationNZ is a member-owned society with no parent entity. (The society itself is the ultimate holder of its subsidiary company.)

  1. Key Shareholders: Not applicable. As an incorporated society, it has members instead of shareholders. (The society’s ~3,800 members – including farmers, irrigation schemes, and businesses – collectively “own” the organisation in a non-profit sense. INZ Accreditation Ltd’s sole shareholder is the society itself.)

  1. Leadership:

– Chairperson: Keri Johnston – Chair of IrrigationNZ (a water engineer and consultant). Johnston has been a prominent voice on irrigation’s future and rural water issues.

– Chief Executive: Karen Williams – appointed CEO in Feb 2025. Williams is a Wairarapa farmer and former Federated Farmers Vice-President, bringing industry leadership experience.

– Board of Directors: Comprised largely of farming and irrigation scheme leaders. E.g. Victoria Trayner (Canterbury farmer, on Waimakariri Irrigation & LIC boards) ; Mark Saunders (Dairy farmer, board member) ; among others. The board provides strategic direction and industry representation.

  1. Staff: Small secretariat (≈5–10 staff). The organisation runs with a lean team based in Wellington (CEO, policy advisors, technical specialists, communications, etc.). LinkedIn lists 9 employees on the platform. (Notable staff include an Operations Manager, Communications Specialist, and technical advisors.) The team size has fluctuated with funding – e.g. downsizing during COVID-19 impacts.

  1. Staff that have held previous government roles: Some indirect “revolving door” connections: No senior IrrigationNZ staff are former MPs or central government officials, according to available information. However, many have served on government-appointed bodies or in local government roles. For example, past CEO Andrew Curtis was a member of the Land and Water Forum, a government advisory group on water policy. Current chair Keri Johnston has been involved in regional water management committees (Environment Canterbury). CEO Karen Williams served on regional pest management and water stakeholder groups and was a local government appointee for environmental initiatives (e.g. chaired a pea weevil biosecurity governance group). No direct ex-Ministers or ex-MPs on staff, but the organisation’s leaders often sit on governmental advisory panels or industry boards with public sector links.

  1. Past Employees:

– Andrew Curtis – Chief Executive 2009–2018. Expanded IrrigationNZ’s influence during a period of major irrigation scheme growth. Curtis was known for vigorously advocating pro-irrigation policies and rebutting critics (famously dismissing some environmental criticisms as “not well-informed”). He left in 2018 after 10 years at the helm.

– Elizabeth Soal – Chief Executive 2019–2020. Previously policy head at Waitaki Irrigators Collective, she led IrrigationNZ through the challenging early COVID period. Soal resigned in late 2020 rather than relocate to Wellington, later citing the need to juggle family and PhD commitments.

– Vanessa Winning – Chief Executive 2020–2022 (approx.). A former banking sector manager, Winning guided the organisation’s transition to Wellington and a stronger policy focus. She was a director of INZ’s Accreditation company. Winning stepped down in 2022 (her directorship ceased Oct 2022). She is currently Director at the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

– Nicky Hyslop – Board Chair 2014–2020 (director since 2009). A South Canterbury farmer, Hyslop was a high-profile spokesperson championing irrigation and water storage as climate resilience tools. She oversaw development of IrrigationNZ’s “SMART Irrigation” framework.

(Many other past staff have moved into related roles in agribusiness or consulting. Notably, Curtis founded a water consultancy ; Soal launched a private consultancy in water policy.)

  1. Clients: Not applicable – IrrigationNZ does not have “clients” in a commercial sense. It is funded by and serves its members. Those members include over 3,500 farmer-irrigators and irrigation schemes (e.g. Central Plains Water, Rangitata Diversion Race, Waitaki Irrigators) as well as 120+ irrigation industry companies (equipment suppliers, designers, consultants). Rather than fee-for-service clients, IrrigationNZ’s “customers” are its members and the wider irrigation community, to whom it provides advocacy, training courses, technical advice, and events.

  1. Industries/Sectors Represented: Represents the agricultural sector – specifically those involved in water irrigation for farming. Its membership spans: dairy farming, sheep & beef farming, arable cropping, horticulture (fruit/vegetable growers), viticulture (wine growers), and even some turf/sports irrigation users. It also represents the irrigation services industry (manufacturers of irrigation equipment, irrigation design/install firms, and irrigation technology providers). In essence, IrrigationNZ is the peak body for New Zealand’s irrigation sector within agriculture, advocating for farmers’ and schemes’ water interests across all regions.

  1. Publicly Disclosed Engagements: IrrigationNZ regularly engages with government and public bodies on water and farming policy. Notable examples include:

    • Parliamentary Submissions: It frequently submits to Parliamentary select committees and government inquiries on relevant legislation (e.g. freshwater regulations, tax or infrastructure proposals). In 2018 it made a detailed submission to the Tax Working Group on environmental taxation. In 2019 it submitted to MBIE’s Electricity Price Review on behalf of irrigators (arguing for fair power pricing). It has presented at Select Committee hearings on water policy (such as the Resource Management Act reforms and water conservation orders).

    • Consultations & Panels: The organisation participates in government consultations on water and infrastructure. For instance, IrrigationNZ was a member of the Land and Water Forum (LAWF) from 2009–2015, a stakeholder group that worked with Ministers on freshwater policy recommendations. It has provided input to the Infrastructure Commission on water storage strategies (2023) and to the Ministry for the Environment on water allocation reform.

    • Ministerial Meetings: While specific meetings are not all public, ministers’ diaries show that IrrigationNZ representatives meet with ministers and ministries on water issues. (For example, the Water Ministers under successive governments have met farming water lobby groups including IrrigationNZ to discuss irrigation funds and water regulations.)

    • Advisory Committees: IrrigationNZ staff have sat on various advisory committees (e.g. regional water management committees under ECan, Primary Sector water collaboration groups) to influence policy design.

(These engagements are often disclosed via submissions or meeting records. IrrigationNZ prides itself on being an active stakeholder consulted on any policy affecting irrigation.)

  1. Affiliations:

    • Industry Coalitions: IrrigationNZ works closely with other agricultural lobbies. It often allies with Federated Farmers, DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ and others to present a united farming sector front on water and environmental policies. (For example, it co-hosts sessions at events with Federated Farmers, and jointly opposed proposals like a water tax).

    • Government/Quasi-Govt Forums: Member of the former Land and Water Forum as noted, alongside environmental NGOs and iwi. It’s also part of the Primary Sector Council’s network and engages with MPI’s forums on irrigation.

    • International Links: Though focused on NZ, IrrigationNZ has ties to Irrigation Australia and international irrigation bodies (sharing best practices). It has hosted foreign delegations (e.g. US irrigation representatives toured NZ with IrrigationNZ in 2018).

    • Affiliated Entities: Operates the subsidiary INZ Accreditation Ltd, which runs an irrigation design certification program in collaboration with industry and NZQA. Also maintains a training partnership with Primary ITO (Industry Training Organisation) for irrigation qualifications.

    • Allied NGOs: Collaborates with Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) – e.g. its Chair Keri Johnston is an AWDT alumna. It also interacts with regional irrigation schemes and water user groups nationwide.

  1. Sponsorships / Collaborations:

    • Government Grants: The organisation has a history of collaboration via government-funded projects. It secured funding from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Farming Fund to develop the national Irrigation Code of Practice and Design Standards in 2007. It also partnered with MPI through the Irrigation Acceleration Fund (IAF): e.g. running regional irrigation efficiency workshops funded by IAF in 2011.

    • Research Partnerships: IrrigationNZ works with Crown Research Institutes and universities on irrigation research. It has collaborated with Lincoln University and NIWA on irrigation efficiency studies. It contributed to Aqualinc Research reports on water use (as client).

    • Corporate Sponsors: While independent, it receives event sponsorships from agribusiness companies. Past IrrigationNZ Conferences were sponsored by irrigation equipment suppliers, banks, and government agencies. (E.g., the 2018 conference had ~50 exhibitors including major irrigation tech firms and sponsors like Fertigation Systems, irrigation manufacturers, etc.). Some agritech companies (like Aquaflex, Ballance Agri-Nutrients) sponsor or collaborate on IrrigationNZ field days and training programs.

    • Awards & Initiatives: IrrigationNZ instituted the “Ron Cocks Memorial Award” to recognize leadership in irrigation – collaborating with industry to honor innovators. It also partners with regional Farm Environment Award programs to promote irrigation best practices (members of IrrigationNZ often feature among award winners, reflecting shared goals).

  1. Events: Irrigation New Zealand is known for hosting a biennial IrrigationNZ Conference & Expo, a national event drawing farmers, industry, and policymakers. For example, the 2018 conference in Alexandra attracted hundreds of delegates and focused on “SMART Irrigation” and the future of water management. (Ministers and MPs have spoken at these conferences, using them as a platform for policy announcements in the past.) The next conference scheduled in April 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19, causing significant financial strain. IrrigationNZ also runs regular workshops and training field days on-farm (teaching irrigation scheduling, system maintenance, and nutrient management) as part of its industry education mission. Additionally, it convenes an annual meeting and AGM for members, and occasionally organises media field trips to showcase modern irrigation schemes to the public and journalists.

  1. Political Donations: None disclosed. There is no record of Irrigation New Zealand Inc making donations to political parties or candidates. As a not-for-profit advocacy body, it tends to exert influence via lobbying rather than direct funding of politics. A search of Electoral Commission donation records shows no donations under its name (nor under its subsidiary). Individual farmers involved in IrrigationNZ may donate personally or through other entities, but the organisation itself has not been identified in political donation disclosures. (This non-donation stance aligns with many NZ industry associations which lobby through policy engagement rather than contributions.)

  1. Controversies: Irrigation New Zealand has drawn significant criticism from environmental groups over the years. Critics accuse it of “integrity washing” – portraying irrigation as sustainable while downplaying environmental damage. For instance, in 2017 IrrigationNZ’s CEO claimed that irrigation can have environmental benefits, a statement the Fish & Game Council CEO slammed as “ridiculous” and “just nonsense” given irrigation’s role in the freshwater quality crisis. Fish & Game noted that intensive dairying enabled by big irrigation schemes led to polluted aquifers (citing Canterbury’s nitrate-contaminated water) and charged that IrrigationNZ was only professing concern for the environment after public backlash – effectively greenwashing the harms caused by its constituency. There have also been allegations of regulatory capture: IrrigationNZ and allied rural lobbies were seen as instrumental in the 2010 removal of elected regional councillors at Environment Canterbury, after which irrigation consents were approved at a much faster clip. Opponents argue this political intervention to benefit irrigators exemplified undue influence over regulation. IrrigationNZ has been involved in public spats – e.g. a 2015 exchange of open letters with Fish & Game, where its CEO Andrew Curtis attacked Fish & Game’s stance on a Wairarapa water storage project as “reckless,” leading Fish & Game to retort that IrrigationNZ is a “business pressure group” pushing a “water exploitation” agenda at odds with the public interest. Another controversy was its fierce opposition in 2017 to a proposed royalty on irrigation water; environmentalists argued the modest water charge was fair, whereas IrrigationNZ’s campaign helped frame it as a threat to farming viability – a stance critics said was scaremongering to protect polluters from paying for water use. Overall, the organisation is often at the center of New Zealand’s “water wars,” criticized by environmental advocates for prioritizing agricultural expansion over ecosystem health. It has tried to repair its image by promoting “best practice” codes and environmental training, but skepticism remains about the sincerity and effectiveness of these voluntary measures.

  1. Other information of note: IrrigationNZ’s trajectory reflects the shifting landscape of water politics in NZ. In 2020, facing a funding crunch from the lost conference and a more challenging regulatory environment, it moved its base to Wellington to concentrate on political engagement at the national level. This strategic relocation signaled an even stronger lobbying focus (being closer to Parliament and ministries). The organisation’s finances have historically depended on member levies and event revenue; the COVID-19 shock forced it to restructure (it even reduced staff and cut costs – likely relying on the government’s Wage Subsidy in 2020 to retain key personnel during the downturn). IrrigationNZ did apply for and receive COVID-19 wage subsidies to support its staff when revenues fell (e.g. after cancellation of its 2020 conference). The organisation is also notable for its influence despite its size – it has successfully pushed for government investment in rural water infrastructure (e.g. advocating for the Crown-backed Irrigation Acceleration Fund and Crown Irrigation Investments Ltd, which together delivered over $100 million for irrigation schemes). In recent times, IrrigationNZ has rebranded its message around “water security” and climate resilience, arguing that more water storage (dams and reservoirs) is in the national interest to buffer droughts – a narrative it urged all political parties to embrace in the 2023 election year. As such, it remains a pivotal and sometimes contentious player in debates over how New Zealand balances agricultural growth with freshwater sustainability.

  1. Recipient of Wage Subsidy Scheme: Yes. Irrigation New Zealand received COVID-19 wage subsidies in 2020. The total amount paid was NZD$56,236.80. As the organisation’s revenue drop from the cancelled 2020 conference (its “flagship event”), it qualified for the government’s Wage Subsidy support. The CEO at the time acknowledged the pandemic forced major financial re-think and downsizing, which was mitigated by accessing the Wage Subsidy to retain staff. (This aligns with many industry associations that sought the subsidy during the pandemic’s early phase. IrrigationNZ’s use of the scheme helped it survive the crisis and continue its operations.)

Sources

[1] Irrigation New Zealand Incorporated – Tax Working Group Submission (2018), NZ Tax Policy (IRD), https://www.taxpolicy.ird.govt.nz/-/media/project/ir/tp/publications/2020/2020-tax-working-group/submissions/twg-subm-3983258-irrigation-new-zealand-pdf.pdf

[2] IrrigationNZ – Critical Infrastructure Submission (2023), Dept. of PM & Cabinet, https://consultation.dpmc.govt.nz/national-security-group/critical-infrastucture-phase-1-public-consultation/results/irrigationnz.pdf

[3] IrrigationNZ – National Infrastructure Plan Submission (2024), Te Waihanga (Infrastructure Commission), https://media.umbraco.io/te-waihanga-30-year-strategy/pv0hwebi/irrigationnzsubmission.pdf

[4] IrrigationNZ LinkedIn Profile, LinkedIn, https://nz.linkedin.com/company/irrigationnz

[5] IrrigationNZ – About Us (LinkedIn description), LinkedIn, https://nz.linkedin.com/company/irrigationnz

[6] Irrigation New Zealand Inc. – White Pages Listing (Christchurch), White Pages NZ, https://whitepages.co.nz/w/irrigation-new-zealand-inc/

[7] INZ Accreditation Ltd – Company Summary, NZ Business Directory (nzwao.com), https://www.nzwao.com/companies/inz-accreditation-limited/

[8] IrrigationNZ gets new CEO (Karen Williams appointed), Rural News Group, 22 Jan 2025, https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/dairy-news/dairy-general-news/irrigation-nz-gets-new-ceo

[9] Heading for greener pastures (Elizabeth Soal resigns), Otago Daily Times, 24 Mar 2021, https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/rural-people/heading-greener-pastures

[10] Soal new CEO of Irrigation NZ, Otago Daily Times, 21 Nov 2018, https://www.odt.co.nz/rural-life/rural-people/soal-new-ceo-irrigation-nz

[11] Andrew Curtis to leave IrrigationNZ, Rural News Group, 25 Apr 2018, https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/dairy-news/dairy-general-news/irrigation-critics-not-well-informed

[12] Irrigation’s environmental benefits ‘just nonsense’, Rural News Group, 22 Aug 2017, https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/dairy-news/dairy-general-news/irrigation-s-environmental-benefits-just-nonsense

[13] Fish & Game’s rant directed at progress (Andrew Curtis open letter), NZ Herald (Wairarapa Times-Age), 11 Jun 2015, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fish-and-games-rant-directed-at-progress/PDHDWEGEYZLC6FB4FAU63IM73A/

[14] Opinion: Water exploitation ‘a calamity’ (Fish & Game reply), NZ Herald (Wairarapa Times-Age), 17 Jun 2015, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/opinion-water-exploitation-a-calamity/NBVMG3M4EM3CCZULJDUEW3WMTI/

[15] How environmentally friendly are irrigation dams?, Radio NZ News, 17 Mar 2016, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/299207/how-environmentally-friendly-are-irrigation-dams

[16] Funding for irrigation unlocks potential (IrrigationNZ press release), Scoop News, 11 Mar 2016, https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1603/S00426/funding-for-irrigation-unlocks-potential.htm

[17] Pressure on Labour’s water tax, Radio NZ News, 13 Sep 2017, https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/election-2017/339289/pressure-on-labour-s-water-tax

[18] Canterbury would bear brunt of Labour’s water tax, National Library (NZ Press article), 2017, http://natlib.govt.nz/records/38986134

[19] Integrity Briefing: Launching the NZ Lobbying & Influence Register, Bryce Edwards, The Integrity Institute via Substack, 1 Nov 2023, https://democracyproject.substack.com/p/integrity-briefing-launching-the-nz-lobbying-register

[20] Andrew Hoggard’s conflicts of interest and NZ’s culture of complacency, Bryce Edwards, The Platform (via X.com), 3 Nov 2023, https://x.com/bryce_edwards/status/1720090314702739490

[21] Board of Directors – LIC (Tony Coltman, Victoria Trayner profiles), Livestock Improvement Corp, 2023, https://www.lic.co.nz/shareholders/board-directors/

[22] Profile: Nicky Hyslop, NZ Herald, 24 Oct 2014, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/profile-nicky-hyslop/C4O6DVCJCNZU2T7ZGUGER3QHMY/

[23] IrrigationNZ calls for water security this election, Rural News Group, 12 Aug 2020, https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-opinion/irrigationnz-submitted-briefing-water-capture-storage

[24] IrrigationNZ Election Manifesto – “Irrigators want seat at table”, Rural News Group, 10 Sep 2019, https://www.ruralnewsgroup.co.nz/rural-news/rural-general-news/irrigators-want-seat-at-table

[25] Agricultural footprint risks getting out of balance (IrrigationNZ vs NIWA/Motu report), Interest.co.nz, 2 Aug 2018, https://www.interest.co.nz/rural-news/95046/irrigation-nz-says-research-linking-irrigation-dairying-water-quality-issues

[26] Liquidation (investigation of failed Ruataniwha dam project), New Zealand Geographic, Issue 153, 2018, https://www.nzgeo.com/stories/liquidation/ (Discusses irrigation funding, Ruataniwha scheme, includes IrrigationNZ perspective)

[27] Where the water wars will go next, Newsroom, 5 Feb 2018, https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/02/04/81097/where-the-water-wars-will-go-next (Examines Labour’s water policies, mentions irrigation lobby’s response)

[28] Who Gives a Dam? (Academic case study on NZ water politics), Lewis & Clark College, 2018, https://college.lclark.edu/live/files/25451-who-gives-a-dam (Notes IrrigationNZ & Fed Farmers as leading groups advancing rural water interests)

Spot anything in this entry that is wrong? Please either leave a comment at the end or email, in confidence: bryce@democracyproject.nz

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