Dr Deon Swiggs — governance, risk and resilience leadership across water, climate and local government reform. Evidence over ideology. Delivery over noise.
I'm Deon Swiggs — Chair of Environment Canterbury, Councillor for the West Ward, and, as of November 2025, Regional Sector Chair for Te Uru Kahika, representing New Zealand's regional and unitary councils nationally.
My path has taken me from the Royal New Zealand Navy, through Christchurch's earthquake recovery, into entrepreneurship, and now into the governance rooms where Canterbury's water, climate and growth decisions get made. Whatever the table, the approach is the same: evidence first, plain language, and a willingness to own the trade-offs.
Read the full storyElected Chair of Environment Canterbury, unopposed
Regional Sector Chair, Te Uru Kahika
Doctorate — food security & climate resilience
Accredited Commissioner
Governance is the current job. It's not where the story starts — and it's not what shapes how I approach it.
Served as a GLX (Seaman Combat) Officer — early, formative lessons in crisis management and leading a team under pressure.
Founded this non-profit to back grassroots, community-driven earthquake recovery projects when official channels were moving too slowly.
Created and hosted a television series documenting the rebuild and giving a platform to community voices that weren't being heard.
Founded a licensed medical cannabis venture built on kaitiakitanga principles — a hard lesson in regulated-industry entrepreneurship.
Elected unopposed October 2025, after three years as Deputy Chair. Leading freshwater, biodiversity, air quality, public transport and climate resilience for 45,346 km² and 700,000+ people.
DetailsTaking up this role in November 2025, representing all of New Zealand's regional and unitary councils through a period of major local government reorganisation.
DetailsServing Christchurch residents since 2016, on infrastructure, urban development and community resilience through the rebuild and beyond.
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Water reform, council amalgamation proposals, climate adaptation costs, and freshwater plan changes are all landing at once. My job is to make sure Canterbury's voice — farmers, growers, mana whenua, urban ratepayers and coastal communities alike — shapes the outcome, rather than having it shaped for us.
Read my Vision for 2030Adaptation planning, emissions reduction, natural hazards.
Community-led rebuild, CDEM, long-term recovery governance.
Board governance, risk frameworks, RMA decision-making.
Water allocation, quality, kaitiakitanga-led management.
Te Tiriti-aware guardianship of land and water.
Data-led decisions, honestly explained.
Bringing rural, urban and mana whenua voices together.
Preparing Canterbury for the next shock, not just the last one.
Speaking engagements, board roles, RMA commissioner work, or straight talk on Canterbury's issues — get in touch.