We are pleased to share recent engagement that is helping strengthen NZILA’s advocacy reach and raise awareness of the vital role landscape architecture plays across Aotearoa.

Recently, Ralph Johns (Chair, NZILA), Peter Kensington (Chair, Environmental Legislation Working Group) and Angela Hunter (COO, NZILA) met with Bruce Bassett (Head of Policy) and Gisela Purcell (Sustainability Manager) from Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA), and separately with Katherine MacGregor from Regional Tourism New Zealand (RTNZ).

The purpose of these meetings was to brief both organisations on the progression of our submission on the Natural Environment and Planning Bills and to highlight how landscape architects contribute to shaping meaningful places that support tourism, communities and the environment.

The discussions were very positive. We were encouraged to hear that NZILA is seen as leading in several areas of submission work. TIA expressed interest in receiving our draft submission and, where aligned, incorporating key points into their own. This provides a valuable opportunity to amplify the profession’s voice through a broader national advocacy platform.

RTNZ, while currently focused on the Local Government Reform submission, also requested a copy of our final submission to support ongoing alignment across the sector.

We moved quickly to ensure our perspectives were shared early in the process and look forward to continuing these relationships. In Q2–Q3, we plan to reconnect with the wider tourism advocacy group to explore further opportunities to elevate the profile of landscape architecture and ensure our expertise is recognised across policy and tourism conversations.

For those interested, please visit the relevant websites below.

Tourism Industry Aotearoa

Regional Tourism New Zealand