Minutes of Maori Committee

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

Te Pou Whakarae, Pieri Munro, welcomed everyone to the meeting, especially those from the Whakaki community, before advising emergency evacuation procedures and offering a karakia.

The Chair, Mike Mohi, advised that he will be retiring at the end of this year and acknowledged Nathan Heath’s work in the Wairoa rohe.

Resolution

MC20/19 That the apologies for absence from Cr Rick Barker, Marei Apatu and Paora Sciascia be accepted.

Gregory/Blake

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations in relation to today’s agenda.

Short Term Replacements for 4 June 2019 Meeting

MC21/19

Resolution

The Māori Committee agrees that Cr Paul Bailey be appointed as a member of the Māori Committee of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for the meeting on Tuesday 4 June 2019 as short term replacement for Cr Rick Barker.

Mohi/Wilson

CARRIED

4. Confirmation of Minutes of the Māori Committee meeting held on 9 April 2019

That the minutes be corrected as follows, item 14 to read:

“Rex Graham and James Palmer met with Dave Paku on Mātiti marae urupā. HBRC Chairman Rex also met with some team members on environmental issues ….”

MC22/19

Resolution

Minutes of the Māori Committee held on Tuesday, 9 April 2019, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record as amended.

Mohi/Gregory

CARRIED

Follow-ups from Previous Māori Committee Meetings

· Yet to hear back from Marei Apatu in relation to Three Waters review, and will be addressed at the next meeting.

· Development of a monitoring tool for tikanga Māori based monitoring framework will be discussed at the August meeting.

· A query was raised in relation to publication of the Wairoa Catchment Surface Water Quality Report.

· Central Hawke’s Bay District Council is required to lodge options for improvements to the Waipawa wastewater treatment plan with the Environment Court by 30 June as an outcome of the prosecution HBRC lodged against their discharge into the Tukituki awa. CHBDC will present an update on progress on the assessment of options for upgrades to a Public Excluded Council session on 19 June. An update will be provided to the August committee meeting.

· A query about the decommissioning of oil wells will be followed up and reported to the August committee meeting.

MC23/19

Resolution

That the Māori Committee receives the “Follow-up Items from Previous Māori Committee Meetings” report.

McIIroy/Gregory

CARRIED

Call for Minor Items not on the Agenda

The Māori Committee accepts the following items for discussion as Agenda Item 13

Topic	Raised by
Invitation to Craggy Range track Hearing	Mike Paku
Māori Wards	Mike Paku
Environmental Awards	Fenton Wilson
Kopauwhana Stream	Brian Gregory

Verbal Update on Current Issues – HBRC Chair/CE

Rex Graham and James Palmer updated the Committee, highlighting:

· Council has voted to progress a minority share float in Napier Port, appointed two directors to the Napier Port board, one being Cr Rick Barker due to his extensive experience and strong union background. Council is very focussed on offering everyone in the region an opportunity to own shares through a preferential offer, and several meetings with Chairs of all the Treaty Claimant Groups and Taiwhenua have been held to gauge interest. Council’s final decision to proceed or not will be made 26 June.

· A certificate of appreciation for Environmental Leadership in Land Management – Te Hautūtanga Taiao me te Whakahaere Whenua was presented to Jill Snelling who was being recognised for her work to enhance the natural biodiversity of her land on Mangapoike Road near Wairoa, putting it into QEII covenants and carrying on her mother’s work. These awards are very important to recognise those who contribute to the environment

· RPC meetings have been particularly challenging for councillors and a number of workshops on working collaboratively and building better relationships have been held.

· The future and what the Māori Committee might look like going forward is to be the subject of discussions over the coming months.

· The TANK (acronym for the Tūtaekuri, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro and Karamu river catchments) Plan Change is nearing the notification (for public consultation) stage, which will commence with RPC adoption of the proposed plan on 3 July. The TANK stakeholder Group is a collaborative group and made up of approximately 30 representatives from agricultural, horticultural and public health sectors, environmental and community interest groups, regional and district councils and tangata whenua.

· The next plan change process to be embarked on is Mohaka Plan Change – RPC, including councillors, met with Ngati Pahauwera on 17 April to hear their objectives for the plan change and to start to build a strong partnership. Mohaka Plan Change will be complex as the many challenges include erosion, the Wairoa River and its complexities, wastewater issues and many more. Aiming to have to have this completed within the next 2 years. In the interim, staff hope to complete the Wairoa Catchment Plan

· Central Government is investigating options to improve the management of drinking, stormwater and wastewater (Three Waters) to better support New Zealand’s prosperity, health, safety and environment; working closely with councils, iwi and stakeholders to develop options and recommendations. Hawke’s Bay currently facing challenges throughout the region, facing ageing infrastructure and the level of investment required exceeding the ability of communities to fund them, particularly smaller communities. Brian Gregory advised he attended a hui in Porangahau a week ago and the question arose as to when HBRC will repair the water supply and sewage in Porangahau. Regional Chief Executives are working with consultants to finalise and report “where to from here” options for councils to consider and due to elections, newly elected councils will have to make the decisions on how to proceed. The report from CEs will be made publically available and will be presented to the next available Māori Committee meeting.

· TANK plan change pre-consultation has been held and received strong and diverse feedback.

· Council had a plan effectiveness review carried out on the Regional Resource Management Plan and Regional Coastal Environment Plan, and the report on outcomes from the review will be presented to the RPC.

· Current focus for Council’s Science team is on producing the 5 year “State of the Environment” report on trends and changes in the environment over the last 5 years as evidenced through the data they’ve collected. The report will be released at the end of this year and will be presented to the Māori Committee.

· The Pollution Hotline has received over 200+ call-outs through in the last quarter, predominantly on air quality, fires in the Heretaunga zones, and odour (from Te Mata Mushrooms).

· Currently processing 11 resource consent applications with the most significant being the Wairoa District Council’s wastewater consent application.

· On Monday, 11 June, Central Government will be announcing the Provincial Growth Fund applications and Hawke’s Bay is hoping to receive significant funding, including for water security projects.

· HBRC currently in discussions with Wairoa District Council about Regional Park concepts and hopeful there will be Central Government funding available to assist with costs

· Draft 2019-20 annual plan will be presented to the Corporate and Strategic Committee meeting tomorrow, 5 June, for feedback and recommendation to Council for adoption.

· Experienced some delays during this financial year due to lack of skilled staff to do the work. Erosion Control Grant Scheme (ECS) received 50 applications so far, totalling approximately $2.58 million over 3 years. Council is continuing to build its workforce and hopeful to have opportunities for local providers, specifically tangata whenua, to get his work done.

· After 6 years, the Napier to Wairoa rail line will be re-opened on Friday, 14 June – as a result of Council’s first successful Provincial Growth Fund application. Council fully expects logs will be transported on the line before the end of 2019.

· Some progress has been made on the Outstanding Water Bodies (OWB) plan change, with the RPC recommending the adoption of the proposed list of water bodies for pre-notification consultation process with the proviso that staff will work with tangata whenua to flesh out any cultural/spiritual values information gaps. Water bodies with ecological, wildlife and other values were agreed upon and that all aquifers are included on the list. Water bodies were identified for values that clearly “stand out” and are “superior" when compared to the other water bodies and are consistently identified as “outstanding” in published literature. In response to a query, James explained that the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, set by Central Government, requires Council to identify and protect the significant values of Outstanding Water Bodies.

· The historical Ferry Hotel building is in danger of being eroded by water and discussions with the owners are pursuing durable solutions. Chris Dolley will provide an update at the August Māori Committee meeting.

MC24/19

Resolution

That the Māori Committee receives the “Verbal Update on Current Issues by the HBRC Chair” report.

Paku/Wilson

CARRIED

Consented Discharges to the Marine Environment

The Chair introduced the item and Liz Lambert spoke to it, particularly around the Wairoa District Council and Affco meat processing plant discharges. Discussions covered:

· Item originally written as an overview of the major discharges into the sea and coastal areas and how those consents are performing in terms of compliance

· Wairoa and Affco discharges are currently significantly non-compliant, and HBRC has taken enforcement action against both in the past

· WDC sewage discharged at same point since 1980s and the resource consent issued in 1999 expired on 31 May 2019.

· A replacement consent application has been lodged and it will be publically notified and open for public submissions, with submission Hearings to be held in Wairoa.

· WDC has proposed, as part of their application, to look into long term solutions to discharge to land, while continuing to discharge into the Wairoa River in the short to medium term.

· Regional Council very concerned about the slow progress with this but recognise that financial constraints are restricting quick solutions.

· Ongoing issues include an unconsented discharge from an overflow pipe into the Wairoa river, discharges outside the tidal times, exceedances of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Total suspended solids (TSS) limits as well as failure to carry out follow-up sampling and investigations.

· HBRC has issued an abatement notice to cease the discharge by the end of October 2019.

· An application for the discharge from the overflow pipe was lodged prior to the replacement consent application and has been integrated into it.

· A number of significant non-compliance incidents in relation to the Affco stock yard runoff – which should be captured and discharged via the waste treatment and discharge system but was observed being discharged via the stormwater system. HBRC has given Affco until the end of June 2019 to resolve the non-compliant issues and will take further action if non-compliance continues.

· PanPac at Whirinaki has been compliant with its resource consent conditions over the past year except for the failure of the outfall pipe, which developed a crack at the land sea edge and was leaking treated wastewater. PanPac is in the process of repairing this.

· Queries in relation to “Pickering’s Funeral Services” discharge into Wairoa River and the Wairoa District Council benthic survey of the discharge outfall area (Shade Smith) to be followed up.

MC25/19

Resolution

That the Māori Committee receives and notes the “Consented Discharges to the Marine Environment” staff report.

Blake/Gregory

CARRIED

· An enquiry and concerns raised from a member of the community around Lake Whakaki and the topic “Sunshine, wetlands and bees will revitalise the taonga of Whakaki”.

· The community spoke on this matter and feel excluded from the process as they have asked numerous questions on this matter and “never gets an answer” or response.

· Concerns is around planting manuka trees around the lake to attract bees and promote honey production, which effectively attract businesses to the lake.

· The community would like to gain more information on this project.

· Nathan Heath responded that this proposed $3 million, 6 year project has been a significant body of work for a number of staff within HBRC and the wider Whakaki catchment community and is currently being revised and re-submitted to the Minister for the Environment for consideration for funding.

· The project is proposing a comprehensive work program which includes the installation of a weir, the construction of a recirculating wetland, the exclusion of stock and the planting of 10,000 native plants along the Rahui Channel, Whakaki School refurbishment and enhanced monitoring, weed and predator control.

· Numerous consultation and multiple meetings and discussions have been held with the community over the last 18 months.

Council will continue to engage with tangata whenua.

Statutory Advocacy Update

The paper was taken as read, but highlighted the paper focusses on resource management-related proposals upon which the Regional Council has an opportunity to make comments or to lodge a submission. Further discussions traversed:

· The Central Hawke’s Bay and Napier City District Plans are very important documents which are providing information to HBRC.

· HBRC’s roles and activities will have interests in at least the following matters of the district plan review process: transport, natural hazards, water quality, coastal environment, urban growth management, infrastructure planning, stormwater and wastewater managements, biodiversity and open spaces.

· HBRC staff are working through the District Plans and providing input and feedback in these documents.

· These plans effectively gives effect to the Regional Policy Statement.

· The Water Conservation Order (WCO): Stage 2 hearing has been completed. The Tribunal is yet to announce any further timetabling or milestone events.

· The Tribunal has now received the report and recommendations from the applicants and HBRC are awaiting to hear from them.

· No further update on the Resource Consent application from the applicant R&L Thompson. Consent is sought to clear 248 hectares of manuka and kanuka on Part Umumanfo 2 Block on Kopuawhara Road in Mahia.

MC26/19

Resolution

That the Regional Planning Committee receives and notes the Statutory Advocacy June 2019 Update staff report.

Blake/Gregory

CARRIED

10.

Presentation from Mahaanui Kurataiao Ltd

Pieri Munro, Te Pou Whakarae attended the Special Interest Group (SIG Māori) in November 2018 held at the Environment Canterbury, Christchurch. Discussions highlighted:

· Mahaanui Kurataiao is a charitable resource and environmental management advisory company established in 2007 by six Papatipu Rūnanga to assist and improve the recognition and protection of tāngata whenua values in their takiwā.

· The Māori Committee directed Te Pou Whakarae and the Māori Partnerships Team to arrange for Mahaanui Kurataiao to present to the Māori Committee.

· A copy of the Mahaanui Kurataiao presentation has been included in the meeting pack to give more insight into the model and to prepare for a presentation and workshop with Mahaanui Kurataiao on Tuesday, 6 August 2019 (next Māori Committee Meeting).

· An invitation will be sent to the Regional Planning Committee tangata whenua members to attend.

· A second half day session with elected councillors and local government agencies is planned with the Mahaanui Kurataiao team on Wednesday, 7 August 2019.

MC27/19

Resolution

That the Māori Committee receives the “Presentation from Mahaanui Kurataiao Ltd” and notes the presentation and workshop with Chief Executive Tania Wati on Tuesday 6 August 2019. Venue to be confirmed.

Munro/Mohi

CARRIED

11.

Taiwhenua Representatives' June 2019 Updates

The four Taiwhenua each provided an update on current issues of interest in their rohe. Discussions traversed:

Kahungunu Executive Taiwhenua: Michelle McIlroy

· Sustainable Homes presented on 14 Feb: There was requests of adding and approving Wairoa suppliers to the HBRC’s suppliers list. Enquiry around whether this was done? – Mark Heaney to update on this matter.

· Interest rates proposed were regarded too high as people can obtain lower interest rates from banks. An enquiry to Council to lower interest rates to an interest free option. Council is currently looking into options to present within the next few months.

· Arimawha marae and Urupa trustrees concerned over spraying: Tutaekuri Māori Land Block and Land owners noticed spraying over Urupa and native trees like kanuka without consultation. Significant archaeological site.

· Concerns raised on whether any consent was granted for this?

· Follow-up requested to investigate by HBRC staff.

· Spraying roadside, drains/wetlands runoff into streams and rivers: Enquiry raised to monitor the spraying programme of contractors and what measures are in place?

· Request to investigate the spraying contractors policy and procedures.

· Liz Lambert responded that the Resource Management Plan contains rules and conditions on spraying near waterways. Liz invited Katarina to identify contractors and inform HBRC to investigate and take possible action.

· Liz to forward the Resource Management Plan around the rules and conditions on spraying near waterways.

· Engagement with Ministry for Environment during May 2019: Attended the Manatu mo Te Taiao Hui on 17 May at Kennedy Park Holiday Resort. Discussions around Climate Change, Water policies (essentially Freshwater Management, Three Waters Review, Management Act, Resource Management System and Urban Development Policy).

· Report from Apiata Tapine was included in the Agenda for further details.

Tamatea Taiwhenua: Brian Gregory

· A snapshot of the meeting held in Porangahau on 24 May on relevant issues, matters of concern and updates were given with discussions highlighting:

· HBRC staff who attended the meeting had no background on Poragahau and the extent of the waste water system, where it was located and issues raised at the meeting.

· Frustration around the same issues experienced for the last 30 years.

· Need to engage with tangata whenua and built better relationships.

· What is the long term plan going forward?

· HBRC have now a permanent team based in Waipawa with a Catchment Manager dedicated to this area.

· HBRC have the capacity now to build long ongoing relationships with communities and Ngati Kere and are committed to speed up processes in this rohe.

· James Palmer and the Chair, Rex Graham will arrange a visit to Porangahau in the following months to discuss issues.

Wairoa Taiwhenua: Katarina Kawana

· Michelle gave an update on the planting programmes highlighting that Ben Dalton will be presenting at a workshop in Wairoa on 6 June.

· Minister Shane Jones will travel to Wairoa to participate in the re-opening of the Wairoa-Napier train line and keen to participate in taking part in the planting events.

Ministry of Environment engagement workshop on Manatu mo Te Taiao hui on 17 May at Kennedy Park Holiday Resort:

· Supports the request made in Apiata Tapine’s report for an environmental (Taiao) symposium to be held.

· Acknowledge the support from HBRC and MSC for allowing her and Katarina to attend the hui/workshop as this gave ample opportunity to highlight the issues in the district and to promote the Mauri Compass as a Cultural Health Indicator.

· Concerns raised on Climate Change.

Wairoa Catchment Board – Mana whenua: Discussed the Integrated Wairoa Catchment Board.

· To date there is an Integrated Wairoa Catchment Manager, but no Board has ever been engaged to discuss ongoing Management of the Taiao, specifically around the degradation of the waterways.

· Coastal Erosion – Mahia: Environmental impacts at Kaiuku marae with regard erosion and issues at Ruawharo marae.

· Request to do riparian planting to assist with the erosion issues.

Heretaunga Taiwhenua: Marei Apatu

· In Marei’s absence, Pieri gave a brief update on Marei’s questions raised in his report on the performance of the Māori Partnership Team.

· Te Pou Whakarae introduced the Māori Partnership team being Amy Minster, Senior Advisor Māori Partnerships and Joella Brown, Māori Engagement Coordinator.

· Anticipating to work on Māori Strategy to help forecast ahead and engagement with Council.

Ahuriri Taiwhenua: Api Robin responded on behalf of Peter Eden

· In relation to the PanPac discharge at Whirinaki, taiwhenua were unhappy with the response given by James Palmer at the time and that no enforcement action was taken against PanPac.

· Input from Taiwhenua seems to be irrelevant.

· There is a general feeling that Taiwhenua is not fully resourced to follow-up on actions from each meeting.

· Raised concerns around the future of the Māori Committee in future years.

· A request from the Chair was made to Taiwhenua members to deliver Taiwhenua reports at an earlier stage.

Recommendation

That the Māori Committee receives and notes the “Taiwhenua Representatives' June 2019 Updates” report.

12.	Te Pou Whakarae – Māori Partnerships
	Matters were discussed elsewhere during the meeting
	The item was not resolved.

13.

Discussion of Items Not on the Agenda

Topic	Raised by
Invitation- The resource consents Hearing for removing and restoration of the Craggy Range track will be held 10-12 June at Waimarama marae to hear the mana whenua submission	Mike Paku
Māori Wards- Paper will be presented at the Corporate and Strategic Committee tomorrow, outlining timeframes for when Council might reconsider this, and should be shared with this committee	Mike Paku
Environmental Awards- Was discussed in Item 7	Cr Fenton Wilson
Kopuawhara Stream- Request for who to contact re plating trees alongside the road along Kopuawhara stream	Bill Blake

The Chair, Mike Mohi acknowledged the Whakaki community for attending the meeting and thanked Whakaki marae for hosting this meeting in their rohe. The Chair also acknowledged the Wairoa Standing Committee for their attendance and participation during this hui.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 1.25pm on Tuesday 4 June 2019.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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