Minutes of Maori Committee - 26 February 2013

1. WELCOME/APOLOGIES/NOTICES

Karakia – H Hilton

Chairman Mohi welcomed all present to the meeting.

Apologies were received from Messrs H Hiha, and T Gilbertson and Mrs M Hammond.

Mohi/Apatu

CARRIED

2. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

Short Term Replacements

Resolution:

That the Maori Committee agree:

That Councillor Christine Scott and Mr Shaun Haraki be appointed as member/s of the Maori Committee of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for the meeting of Tuesday, 26 February 2013 as short term replacements on the Committee for Councillor Tim Gilbertson and Mrs M Hammond.

The Committee noted that Mrs Hammond was replacing Pat Hohipa as a Wairoa Taiwhenua representative on the Committee. The Committee also noted that Mr Haraki would be the short term replacement for Mrs Hammond when she was unable to attend the meeting.

Mohi/Hilton

CARRIED

4. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF the Maori Committee held on 4 December 2012

Minutes of the Maori Committee held on Tuesday, 4 December 2012, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed following amendment.

Mohi/Paku

CARRIED

5. Matters Arising from Minutes of the Maori Committee held on Tuesday 4 December 2012

8. Ngati Hori Management Plan – Verbal Presentation

Mr Apatu sought clarification around hapu boundaries and who are the affected parties when hapu plans are provided to Council. He noted that some hapu do not have Plans and the way is still open for submission on any plan.

9. Operation Patiki Findings

Mr Hilton advised that the Te Matau Waka was now back in Napier and tied up at the Wharf at Nelson Quay.

Call for General Business Items

Annual Plan

Public Transport Plan

Maurauder Oil and Gas

Action Items from Previous Maori Committee Meetings

Mrs Lambert confirmed that any Hapu Plan was not to be used as a mechanism for identifying Maori as an affected party. The process for all Hearings will continue as in the past and the Hapu Plan would be taken into account in deliberations. The Plans were not there to determine any boundary conflict. The Plan was a way for hapu to set out their desires and dreams.

Following discussion on the process for Council to receive the Hapu Plans, the Committee requested a short report outlining Council procedures be prepared for the next Committee meeting on 30 April.

Resolution:

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

Paku/Apatu

CARRIED

Update on Current Issues by the General Manager – Operations/HBRC Chairman

Prior to Mrs Lambert’s update, Chairman Wilson updated the Committee on Mrs Lambert’s new position of General Manager Operations which she would hold for 12 months whilst Mr Newman was directly involved with the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme.

Low Flow Bans

Mrs Lambert updated the Committee on water levels in the region and noted that there are now bans on all major rivers. With the assistance of Council, many irrigators had managed to get through until the end of February and had worked extremely well together. However, there was still a large number of growers who still need water for young trees.

Taharua

As a result of the withdrawal of Eco-n from the market and an application to MfEs Clean Up Fund being refused, Council will need to consider the next steps in the way forward in the Taharua Catchment. Council has good relationships with the landowners in the catchment and further discussion with them will be held in the near future.

TANK – Heretaunga/Ahuriri Land and Water Plan Change

A stakeholder engagement process has been established with meetings already held. The stakeholder group has 35 representatives from a wide range of sectors. The aim of the group was to provide recommendations to Council on amendments to the Regional Resource Management Plan.

Tukituki Plan Change

Council would be considering the proposed Plan Change at its meeting on 27 February. This Plan change would signal new objectives, policies and rules and is a stand alone document. The Plan would then be notified, then called in by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to be considered along with the consent application for the Ruataniwha Water Dam.

Regional Planning Committee

There was still the possibility of one seat being available on the Regional Planning Committee and both herself and Chairman Wilson have had discussions with Tuhoe in regard them taking up their seat. However, Tuhoe are reserving their right to sit on the Committee. Until a final decision is made, by Tuhoe, the seat would remain vacant and could not be used for an ‘extra’ representative from He Toa Takatini.

Chairman Wilson sought feedback from the Committee regarding improvements in co-ordination, interchange and liaison between hapu and how Council may assist to find a better way for all to move forward in a business like process.

Droughts

Waikato is in a drought situation with Hawke’s Bay expected to be not far behind. Currently facts and figures are being collated for the Minister to decide whether drought relief will happen in the near future. The issue was not the lack of rain over the summer but the lack of rain prior to summer.

Lake Tutira

Issues at Lake Tutira have been researched for many years but this summer has been a perfect environment for bacteria to form. Experts have determined that the depth of the lake means that there is a lack of water flow so consideration is currently being given to what intervention methods could be introduced.

Resolution:

1. That the verbal reports by the Group Manager Operations and the HBRC Chairman be received.

Apatu/Puna

CARRIED

Naming of Clive River

The Committee discussed the agenda item which presented a compact outline of the history behind the name changes of the old Ngaruroro “channel” which today is known as the Clive River.

Committee members discussed historical facts which were known to them and where they had originated from. The Committee also noted that Council was unable to change the river name as it was the responsibility of the NZ Geographic Board. However the Committee could seek Council support.

Concern was expressed that until there was unanimous agreement amongst all hapu involved, it would be difficult to reach a consensus on whether a proposal should be put forward to rename the river or whether the river name stays as is. Ongoing discussion was required before Council could be requested to assist in the facilitation of hui with the various hapu with interest in the river.

Resolution:

1. That the Maori Committee receives the report on the ‘Naming of the Clive River’.

Mohi/Paku

CARRIED

Chairman Mohi left the meeting at 11.55am and Mr Paku assumed the Chair.

Chairman Wilson left the meeting at 11.55am

10.

Biodiversity Strategy Update

Mr Leckie updated the Committee on the development of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Biodiversity Strategy.

Mr Leckie advised that a Terms of Reference had been developed by the Core Working Group for both groups and the Stakeholder Group had endorsed some minor amendments. At the same meeting the stakeholder group provided input into the high level strategy objectives and a further meeting was planned for April to discuss the objectives further.

Mr Leckie confirmed that Maori representation on the steering group was critical and allowance had been made for 2 members.

Resolution:

1. That the Maori Committee receives the report.

Puna/Apatu

CARRIED

11.

Science Reports

Dr Hudson updated the Committee on work currently being undertaken by the Science team which included the status of 2 coastal environments, the outcome of an ongoing recreational water issue in the Puhokio catchment and the results of a recent survey of sediment contaminants in the Napier Inner Harbour.

Dr Hudson noted that it was imperative that ongoing monitoring programmes continue which would enable data to be continually updated and analysed.

Resolution:

1. That the Maori Committee receives the report.

Apatu/Wilson

CARRIED

12.

Update on Regional Pest Management Strategy

Mr Leckie updated the Committee on progress with the Pest Management Strategy and advised that 2 strategies will be considered by Council at its meeting on 27 February.

Mr Leckie also advised that amendments to the Biosecurity Act had now come into force and Council would redo the Pest Management Strategy over the next 12-18 months with a completion date of 2014.

Responding to a question, Mr Leckie advised that the current focus on pests are rabbits, possums and rooks with 98% of rateable land now experiencing very low possum numbers. Rook numbers were also trending downwards with only 90 nests this year however rabbit numbers are once again increasing. Didymo programmes were ongoing and to date there had not been any reports of Didymo in North Island rivers.

Chairman Wilson returned to the meeting at 12.25pm

Resolution:

1. That the report be received.

Haraki/Wilson

CARRIED

13.

Statutory Advocacy Update

There were no statutory advocacy items to update.

Resolution:

1. That the Maori Committee receives the Statutory Advocacy Update report.

Paku/Apatu

CARRIED

14.

General Business

Annual Plan

Mrs Lambert advised that although there had been a revision in the Maori Committee budget, there had not been an impact on the operation of the Maori committee and no funds had been used on the Tukituki project. The focus was still around training/research requirements.

Regional Public Transport Plan

Mrs Lambert advised that in the Wairoa area Council has a concessionary fare agreement to the value of $10,000.00.

The Regional Transport Plan will be renewed towards the end of this year and will be open for submissions.

Marauder Resources – here in the region in March

Mrs Lambert advised that the first report on ‘fracking’ had been released by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment which stated that there no significant adverse affects had result from ‘fracking’. However, there were concerns around the regulatory process and the second report, due for release in June would address this and other concerns.

Presentation – Councillor McGregor

Councillor McGregor gave a power-point presentation outlining a proposal for wetlands to be built by farmers on their land. The presentation gave examples of completed wetlands and the impact they had had on the surrounding environment.

The Committee thanked Councillor McGregor for his presentation.

Karakia: Mr Fred McRoberts

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 12.55pm on Tuesday, 27 February 2013.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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