Minutes of Maori Committee - 20 September 2011

1. KARAKIA – HAAMI HILTON

WELCOME

Chairman Mohi welcomed all present to the meeting with a special welcome extended to Dr Benita Wakefield, the new representative from the Tamatea Taiwhenua on the Committee and also Mr Tama Huata who had a take to present to the Committee.

Mr Huata gave the Committee a powerpoint presentation which highlighted the outstanding festivals and programmes that had taken place over recent years in the region and drew on talent locally, from around the country and overseas participation as well.

Mr Huata outlined the overall benefits such programmes and events had for the whole region including developing local talent and exposing them to career opportunities. Mr Huata requested that Council recognise the value of the events to the wider community and sought commitment that Council would consider these events for financial assistance in the future through their Long Term Plan and Annual Plans.

APOLOGIES

MC1/11

Resolution:

That the apologies from Mr H Hiha and Mrs L Graham be received.

Paku/Riki

CARRIED

2. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3.	Short Term Replacements
	There were no short term replacements.

4. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF the Maori Committee held on 30 August 2011

MC2/11

Resolution:

Minutes of the Maori Committee held on Tuesday, 30 August 2011, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed.

Gilbertson/Hilton

CARRIED

5. Matters Arising from Minutes of the Maori Committee held on Tuesday 30 August 2011

There were no matters arising from the minutes.

12. General Business – Council policy on “Significance”

Responding to a questions from Councillor Remmerswaal and Marei Apatu, Ms Lambert outlined Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP)draft timetable and advised that the policy on ‘significance’ could be part of the Council’s planning activities over the next few months. Ms Lambert also noted that the Maori Dimension of Council’s Resource Management Plan could not be changed by resolution of Council as it had to go through the RMA process.

Following discussion, the Committee requested staff prepare a paper on the ‘significance’ policy for the next meeting planned for 25 October.

6.	Consideration of General Business Items Update on state of Takiwa Monitoring Training HBRC Chairman Update

Action Items From Previous Maori Committee Meetings

Mr Moule updated the Committee on the action items .

MC3/11

Resolution:

1. That the Maori Committee receives the report “Action Items from Previous Meetings”.

Apatu/Paku

CARRIED

Replacement Maori Committee Member on Environmental Management Committee

Mr Moule advised that as Mr Morry Black had resigned from the Maori Committee and the Environmental Management Committee, there was an opportunity to nominate a member of the Maori Committee to join Mr Paku as a representative on the Environmental Management Committee.

Mrs Aspinall nominated Mr Marei Apatu, seconded by Mr Hilton as the replacement member on the Environmental Committee.

Councillor Remmerswaal nominated Dr Benita Wakefield for the position however, Dr Wakefield declined the nomination indicating her support for Marei Apatu for the vacant role.

MC4/11

Resolution:

The Maori Committee recommends to Council:

1. That Mr Marei Apatu replaces Mr Morry Black as one of the two Maori Committee representatives on the Environmental Management Committee.

Aspinall/Hilton

CARRIED

Maori Constituency

The Committee took this agenda item as read.

All Committee members advised that following discussions, it had been decided that the status quo should be retained.

Mrs Aspinall stressed that it was important that both Maori and Pakeha continued to build strong relationships with each other and therefore it was necessary for the status quo regarding the question of the Maori Constituency to remain.

Councillor Remmerswaal expressed concern that the Maori representative on Regional Council was unable to vote at meetings but acknowledged that Maori representatives on Council Standing Committees were able to do so.

Councillors McGregor and Gilbertson agreed that recommendations from this Committee presented to Council were given careful consideration and any future concerns would be met by the Joint Planning Committee.

Mrs Riki reinforced that the representatives present were there to represent the hapu of the region and not the iwi as such. The model of the Maori Committee provided better representation for hapu within the rohe.

In summary, Councillor Wilson noted that the planning section of Council was the ‘heartbeat’ of Council and if the region has the maturity and foresight for HBRC to set up a joint planning committee which encompasses the whole region, the aspirations of the present and future will be dealt with successfully.

MC5/11

Resolution:

1. That the Maori Committee receives the report on the establishment of a Maori Constituency.

2. That the Maori Committee recommends Council:

Agrees not to promote or support the establishment of a Maori Constituency for the 2013 local authority elections.

Mohi/Riki

CARRIED

10.

Tukituki High Flow Allocation Modelling

Mr Waldron gave a powerpoint presentation which provided a summary of the high flow allocation modelling work undertaken for the Tukituki River catchment.

Mr Waldron concluded that based on the results of the hydrological and ecological analyses and the assessment of security of supply to water users, the most suitable high flow allocation scenarios for each site have been selected in terms of those which produced the least amount of change to the natural flow regime (where the disturbance to the structure and function of the riverine ecosystem is minimal) while providing a high flow allocation with the greatest security of supply to water users.

Dr Wakefield said it was important that a collective cultural approach was taken in future assessments and methodologies and there was some dependence on the people themselves to co-operate.

Dr Wakefield said that it was necessary that Maori values and tangata whenua values of the whole river system should be recognised not just specific wahi tapu and sought clarification on how this would be defined.

Responding to a question Mr Waldron confirmed that the 4 sites which had been selected as high flow allocation scenarios had been treated separately.

Mr Waldron advised that to date he was unaware of any investigations which had shown climate change effects on river flows.

MC6/11

Resolution:

1. That the Maori Committee receives the report.

McGregor/Riki

CARRIED

11.

Strategic Approach to Wetland Management

Mr Cave and Mr Hesketh gave a powerpoint presentation which outlined the value of wetlands as they relate to Council’s strategic goals and updated the Committee on how Council is currently fulfilling obligations to these goals.

Mr Cave gave an overview of how Council has managed the three Council owned wetlands, the Peka Peka swamp, the Waitangi wetland and the Tukituki estuary which has resulted in enhancing the open space and champion values as well as ecological enhancement.

Mr Hesketh outlined the role Land Management has played in promoting the preservation and enhancement of wetlands across the whole region under the Regional Landcare Scheme (RLS) and the science programme which would assist in wetlands being monitored long term to detect regional trends and State of the Environment reporting.

Responding to a question Mr Hesketh advised that QEII does play a role in the establishment of wetlands by providing a 33% grant to the farmers involved if the wetland meets its criteria, thereby reducing the farmers financial input. Mr Hesketh also confirmed that DOC also gives advice on wetlands however this will be reduced with pending financial cutbacks in that department.

MC7/11

Resolution:

That the Maori Committee receives the report titled “Strategic Approach to Wetland Management”Environmental Management

Wakefield/Apatu

CARRIED

12.

Update on Unwanted Agrichemical Collection Programme

Mr King updated the Committee on the unwanted agrichemical collection (Operation Spring-clean), the overall costs ($1,663,362) and the quantities of unwanted agrichemicals (105 tonnes) collected over the seventeen year period from June 1994 to May 2011.

Mr King advised that as the Hawke’s Bay economy is dependent on the export of primary produce to overseas markets it was also extremely important that the quantities of banned/unregistered agrichemical remaining on rural properties is reduced to avoid possible future trade barriers being imposed by overseas markets.

Responding to a question Mr King advised that the annual Hazmobile collection held each year is run by NCC and HDC with HBRC also contributing $10,000 and staff time. However, this collection is not undertaken by Wairoa or Central Hawke’s Bay Councils due to funding issues.

Mr King also advised that in August, 2.2 tonnes of waste was collected which is the highest collection to date.

MC8/11

Resolution:

1. That the Maori Committee receives the report.

2. That the Maori Committee recommends Council requests Central Hawke’s Bay and Wairoa Councils to consider supporting the implementation of the Hazmobile collection in their areas.

Apatu/Wakefield

CARRIED

13.

General Business

State of Takiwa Monitoring

Mr Apatu reminded the Committee that a workshop and cultural health monitoring would be undertaken on the Irongate and Karamu streams between 5 and 11 October and all were welcome.

Council Chairman’s Update

Update from Corporate & Strategic Meeting

Council Chairman Wilson advised that Council at the Corporate and Strategic Planning meeting recently had approved $40,000 which would include ongoing efficiency and effectiveness studies around the continuation of building relationships with other Councils,, more accessible economic growth for Hawke’s Bay and the way planning processes now and in the future are managed in the region.

Chairman Wilson noted that as there were differences between the responsibilities of Council and TLA s, the process to be undertaken could spread over a number of years.

Cycle Trail

Chairman Wilson advised that work would commence on the final section of the HB cycle trail made up of 187km in the near future. The trail which incorporated the Wineries ride, the Water ride and the Landscape ride was proving to be very popular with tourists. He noted that Hawke’s Bay was now known throughout the country as the Cycling destination of New Zealand.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 12.35pm on Tuesday, 20 September 2011.

Signed as a true and correct record.

DATE: ................................................ CHAIRMAN: ...............................................