Forest & Bird challenge TukiTuki water storage project w/ Forest & Bird acting general counsel May Downing: 25th May, 2026

Last week environmental organisation Forest and Bird filed judicial review proceedings in the High Court to challenge extension of consents for the Tukituki Water Storage Project.

The consents, which were granted in 2015, were meant to expire after 10 years, but despite no physical work being done the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, and Hastings District Council have decided to extend the lapse dates by an additional FIVE years.

Forest and Bird have argued the environmental context of the project has changed in the last decade and want to ensure decision makers go through the correct process. 

The organisation has a history opposing the project, winning a Supreme Court case in 2017 stopping a land swap allowing the dam to flood 22 hectares of public conservation land.

To discuss the challenge against the Tukituki water storage project consent extension producer Thomas talked to Forest & Bird acting general counsel May Downing.