The projects are governed by the Hekeao / Hinds Water Enhancement Trust (HHWET).

Trustees include:

  • Alister Argyle
  • Carolyn Cameron
  • Craig Fleming
  • Evan Chisnall
  • Fleur Tompsett
  • Ian Mackenzie
  • Marcus Murdoch
  • Neil Brown
  • Peter Lowe – Chair
  • Rab McDowell
  • Vince Lobb

Observer and Advisor

  • Mark Webb

Executive Director

  • Dr Brett Painter

Carolyn Cameron

Carolyn Cameron grew up in the Ashburton district on the family dairy farm at Eiffelton and maintains close contact with the area. Carolyn has been married to John for 34 years and they have 2 adult children.

Carolyn studied pharmacy and business at the University of Otago and the University of Canterbury and has had a variety of roles in both pharmacy and the pharmaceutical industry.

Carolyn is an elected member of the Ashburton ward and a second term Ashburton District Councillor.

She is on HHWET as a community trustee.

Craig Fleming

Craig Fleming is a farmer with 35 years’ experience in arable agriculture along with ownership of dairy farms.

Craig’s relationship to the Hekeao Hinds catchment covers a lifetime of living and farming alongside the lower Hinds River.

Craig is also active in the community as Chair of the Ashburton Hinds Drainage District Liaison Committee and the Hinds Drains Working Party

Craig is also a Director of Merredin Farm Ltd and Eiffelton Contractors Ltd.

Craig is the Ashburton Hinds Drainage District representative on HHWET.

Dr Brett Painter (HHWET Executive Director)

Brett grew up on a lifestyle block beside the Halswell River in the Selwyn District. His fascination with ground and surface water systems led to a BSc (Hons) in Management Science and PhD in Natural Resources Engineering.

Brett has worked as a researcher at Lincoln University for 17 years and then as Project Leader for Environmental Infrastructure across Canterbury (through Environment Canterbury) for 11 years. The Environment Canterbury role included in-kind Project Management of the Hekeao/Hinds MAR Project from 2016-2021.

During 2021-2022, project funding changed from a combination of national grants and regional rates to local rates governed by HHWET. As a result, Brett moved to the new HHWET Executive Director role which replaced the previous Project Manager role.

Brett is a past Trustee and Chair of Waihora Ellesmere Trust and the current Executive Chair of Pandemonium Trust.

Evan Chisnall

Born in Hinds to fifth generation farmers, Evan travelled for three years and then attended Lincoln University.

Evan is married with two children. He has been farming on the Hinds Plains for the last 33 years, first as a sheep, beef and cropping farm, and for the last 16 years as a dairy farmer.

Evan is a director with MHV Water, RDRML, HHWET and LFIC (as a farm advisory group committee member) as well as a shareholder in BCI Water.

Fleur Tompsett

Fleur Tompsett grew up on a farm in Lismore that bordered the Hekaeo/Hinds River. Fleur works for ANZ bank in Ashburton as well as sharemilking with her husband Ralph in Lowcliffe alongside the same river.

Fleur is active in the Ashburton community including being the President of the Ashburton Art Gallery and a Community Representative on the Lions Foundation Grant Committee.

Fleur is a Director of Hekeao Holdings Limited.

Fleur joined HHWET in 2021 and is one of the community representatives.

Marcus Murdoch

Marcus is an engaging and experienced business consultant and Chartered Accountant. 12 years with Ernst & Young working around the world means Marcus has proven ability in delivering sustained results across a range of commercial and agricultural enterprises. He has an extensive background in transforming businesses including strategy, financial, project management, technology implementation, contract negotiation, tax and financial reporting.

Marcus is married to Amy and has two daughters Lily and Sophia. Outside of work Marcus enjoys the outdoors, touch rugby, mountain biking and spending time with friends and family.

Marcus holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in addition to Chartered Accountant certification.

Mark Webb

Mark Webb is a trustee of HHWET representing the community.

Neil Brown

Neil Brown is Mayor of Ashburton District Council (ADC).

Neil is a born and bred Ashburton family man, having been married to Judy for 27 years and raised three children in the District. He has lived and worked on farms throughout the district and has business interests in Ashburton.

Before being elected Mayor in October 2019, Neil served three years as Deputy Mayor and 12 years as a councillor on the ADC.

Neil’s relationship to the Hekeao Hinds catchment covers many years as a shareholder of Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Limited, Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Limited and a director of Rangitata Diversion Race Management Limited.

Neil represents the ADC on HHWET in his capacity as Mayor.

Peter Lowe (Chair)

Peter Lowe is Chair of the Hekeao / Hinds Water Enhancement Trust.

Peter is a farmer with 18 years’ experience in the Hekeao/Hinds catchment. He currently operates near Hinds.

Prior to this, Peter was a partner in a wider family farming business with interests in the Ashburton and Selwyn districts.

Peter’s relationship to the Hekeao Hinds catchment covers 25 years; This includes setting up a water user group then chairing the Hinds Drains Working Party. He has been active in his community through leadership roles in the Hinds School and Ashburton College Boards of Trustees. Peter also holds leadership responsibility in the Southern Rugby Football Club.

Peter is the Federated Farmers and groundwater user’s representative on HHWET and a Director/Trustee of family farming business companies.

In 2018 Environment Canterbury acknowledged Peter for his leadership in developing a new more sustainable era of water management for Mid Canterbury.

Vincent Lobb

Vincent Lobb was born in Taranaki and was a dairy farmer in the region for 17 years before moving to the Hekeao Hinds Plains in 1997 to continue dairy farming. Vincent has been active in the irrigation sector in the Hekeao Hinds Plains since 2014. He is currently a director of irrigation entities, RDRML, MHV Water & Irrigo.

Vincent is the MHV Water representative on HHWET.