Two Otago runanga representatives have been appointed to the Otago Regional Council's natural resources committee.
The council this week approved the appointment of Dr Gail Tipa, who specialises in iwi resource management issues, and Dr Terry Broad, an ecologist, as members of the committee for the rest of the term of council.
Chairman Stephen Woodhead said through the "Mana to Mana" group the council had been working to enhance its relationship with iwi.
The focus had been to actively work with Maori and encourage participation in natural resource management.
To assist the council achieve these goals, and to ensure tangata whenua knowledge was incorporated into committee deliberations, it decided to invite nominations of two representatives from Otago runanga and one from Southland to be members of the committee, he said.
While Otago had made its nominations, none had been received from Southland.
Cr Gretchen Robertson, natural resources committee chairwoman, said it would be lovely to see representation from further south as well and she was sure the two Otago representatives with their backgrounds would be "brilliant participants" on the committee.
Cr Bryan Scott said it was a positive step forward for the council's relationship with iwi.
The iwi representatives would receive the same daily payment as councillors did for plan hearings, $100 up to four hours and $150 for over four hours, and be paid the same vehicle mileage as councillors attending council meetings.
