Collaboration centre stage at National Forum

Representatives from 15 outdoor and rural sector organisations converged on Wellington yesterday for the New Zealand Walking Access Commission's National Forum.

Held at the Mercy Conference Centre, the forum provided a chance for attendees to hear from the Commission, share their views on access topics of interest and network with other organisations in the rural and outdoor sectors.

Commission Chief Executive Mark Neeson said it was good to see both access stalwarts and new faces at the event. It was also pleasing to see an increased desire among attendees to work together for enduring solutions to access issues, he said.

“There have been times in the past when discussions between the different groups represented at our forums have become heated, but over the past couple of years we've started to see a real change in mindset. This year's forum in particular saw a real willingness among outdoor and rural sector organisations to work together towards solutions that benefit everyone.â€