Minutes of Māori Committee - Wednesday, 4 September 2024

1. Welcome/Karakia / Housekeeping

The Chair welcomed everyone, Api Robin offered a karakia and Marei Apatu led a waiata to open the meeting.

Resolution

MC22/24 That the apologies for absence from Bayden Barber, Roger Maaka, Katrina Kawana and Peter Eden be accepted.

Paku/Robin

CARRIED

2. Conflict of interest declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

Alternate member appointments

MC23/24

Resolution

That Ana Te Whaiti be appointed as a member of the Māori Committee for the meeting of 4 September 2024 as a short term replacement on the Committee for Haami Hilton.

Apatu/Kelly

CARRIED

4. Confirmation of Minutes of the Māori Committee meeting held on 5 June 2024

MC24/24

Resolution

Minutes of the Māori Committee meeting held on Wednesday, 5 June 2024, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record as amended.

Te Whaiti/Mita

CARRIED

4.1 Confirmation of Minutes of the Māori Committee meeting held on 21 August 2024

MC25/24

Minutes of the Māori Committee meeting held on Wednesday, 21 August 2024, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record as amended.

Mita/Robin

CARRIED

Coastal and River Bird Survey Findings

Annabel Beattie and Becky Shanahan introduced the item, which was taken as read, and Nikki McArthur delivered a presentation about the survey’s findings which covered:

· 67 bird species recorded on the rivers plus 79 coastal bird species

· Species most impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle correlate to the most cyclone-damaged sections of the rivers.

· Extreme weather events can lead to serious declines in bird populations at catchment and regional scales.

· Population recovery may occur as habitat is restored.

· Emergency response plans need to take into account mitigation and protection of habitats as well as creating artificial nesting and refuge habitats

· Landscape-scale predator control (e.g. Cape Sanctuary) is the most effective tool to offset losses

· DoC’s role is in management of threatened species while HBRC’s role is management of habitat, ecology and biodiversity.

· The survey findings and learnings will be shared with whanau.

MC26/24

Recommendation

That the Māori Committee receives and notes the Coastal and River Bird Survey Findings staff report.

Sciascia/Lambert

CARRIED

North Island Weather Events Flood Resilience Programme

Te Kaha Hawaikirangi introduced the item, which was taken as read. Sarah Cameron (IPMO Engagement Lead), Jon Kingsford (Programme Manager) and Te Kaha provided a brief overview of the mahi involved in moving homes from category 2C to category 1 as detailed in the agenda item.

· One of the core aspects of the programme is engagement with mana whenua including Cultural Impact Assessments, formalising agreements like MOUs and establishing partnerships early in the projects, that acknowledge the unique perspectives, values, and mātauranga of mana whenua and seek to weave mana whenua insights and aspirations into the planning and implementation of the projects to be delivered.

· Pump station upgrades are part of the work that the NIWE programme will deliver, including fish passage.

· In Wairoa the WDC, HBRC and Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa ‘tripartite’ is the basis for the engagement with mana whenua and is being led by the Crown Manager, Lawrence Yule.

MC27/24

Resolution

That the Māori Committee receives and notes the North Island Weather Events flood resilience programme staff report.

Sciascia/Lambert

CARRIED

September 2024 Statutory Advocacy and Resource Management Reform update

Gavin Ide spoke to this item which is presented in a new format that includes resource management reforms. Discussions covered:

· A collective of marae has appealed to the High Court in opposition to the Maraekakaho gravel extraction consent granted by an expert panel through the fast-track consenting process. A pre-hearing meeting is scheduled 3 October. Opposed to the location because of the impacts the activity will have on the awa and aquifer recharge. Unified voice of opposition.

MC28/24

Resolution

That the Māori Committee receives and notes the September 2024 Statutory Advocacy and Resource Management reform update.

Sciascia/Lambert

CARRIED

HBRC Chair’s verbal update on current issues

Hinewai Ormsby provided an update which covered:

· Attended kiingi tangi on behalf of Council along with Ngati Kahungunu

· Last week – 28 August – Council unanimously accepted the Māori Committee recommendations and resolved to retain its Māori constituencies

· Council received the 47 recommendations from the Cyclone Gabrielle reviews and the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy from the joint committee last week.

· Thompson Hokianga spoke to the attendance of Mongrel Mob members at the Council meeting last week, reading aloud a letter “I do not wish to murk up the waters so that the patiki can be caught. After seeing negative feedback on the presence of the mongrel mob at the recent Hawke’s Bay Regional Council public meeting I think that it is right to give a response and share my perspective to hopefully clear up some assumptions and misinformation.” This is from one of the leaders of the mongrel mob. “This has been fuelled by recent media coverage by this coalition government and people have jumped on the hype of the media and listened to the comments of a few people on Facebook. In reality there are only a small group of people saying very unhelpful things. Let me be clear that the intention of the members that were present at the public meeting was to support the kaupapa of Māori ward decision. We are ratepayers, we are from various marae, we belong to community organisations serving our region. It is unfortunate that our presence and the wearing of our regalian has overshadowed the kaupapa of keeping the Māori ward seats. Prior to the introduction of these seats no-one engaged the gang whanau to understand our views as ratepayers. It was not our intention to bring negativity by coming to the public meeting. In fact we felt everything about it was right. The wearing of our regalia wasn’t to disrespect the tikanga of Māori wards but to preserve our own tikanga. We felt we deserved to celebrate and participate like anyone else. We now recognise that the wearing of our regalia caused deep stirring of uneasiness, unrest. However we were grateful not t to be treated differently to everybody else. We behaved like any other citizen did on the day and now we feel we are being victimised for our presence and our support of a positive kaupapa for our region. We may not have been fully aware and informed of any local government laws but we are willing to work on it to further support Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s ongoing efforts to maintain Māori ward seats. I think it is unfair that the regional councillors and their staff are at the centre of the public backlash. Regarding the law that prohibits gang regalia in a public building, we welcome that discussion not just with local government but central government as well. We didn’t know as we’ve never felt welcome with or without our regalia. No-one has spoken to us about these laws. No-one. What is the law? Where does this apply? How is this enforced? Our police force doesn’t even know how to do this successfully. It hasn’t been very clear and we want to ensure that our whanau and our mokopuna are safe and not subject to media megalomania, weaponising the law against our people. We stayed for the Māori ward decision, we were respectful and we left without incident or fuss. There was mutual respect in the room on this day and that should have been the story.”

Take Ripoata Ā Takiwā – Taiwhenua Representatives' Updates

· Tamatea – Dianne Smith & Paora Sciascia. Tamatea recently had its AGM. This week, have been in court supporting the Regional Council in its appeal against the Tranche 2 water take consents, which is going to drag out for another month or so. Porangahau marae is wanting to get on with the work proposed by the regional council.

· Wairoa – Henare Mita. Extended thanks to Nathan Heath and Duane Culshaw for their mahi in Nuhaka. Kahungunu Executive continues to support Wairoa’s tangata whenua in terms of medical, housing and wellbeing.

· Heretaunga – Marei Apatu & Ana Te Whaiti. Working with HDC establishing marae as community hubs in emergency responses. Science wananga in collaboration with Otago University on an annual basis – to cleans and renew is this year’s theme – being held at Omahu marae. Hui a hapu ki Heretaunga on 14 September relating to Waitangi and Kiakitai marae coming onto the Te Haro governance board.

· Te Whanganui a Orotū – Api Robin. Water rates bill arrived and appears to have increased 500% ― the regional council does not charge for the taking or use of water but does charge s32 charges under the Resource Management Act for science monitoring of water takes and discharges, which contributes to the state of the environment report. Panui to come to tomorrow’s Napier City Council hui for their Māori wards decision.

MC29/24

Resolution

That the Māori Committee receives and notes the Take ripoata ā takiwā – Taiwhenua representatives’ updates.

Sciascia/Robin

CARRIED

Te Wairama Munro introduced Matt Boggs, the new CDEM Director of Transformation for implementing change in response to the Cyclone Gabrielle review of the HB CDEM Group’s response.

Api Robin and Marei Apatu led a waiata and karakia to close the meeting.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 1.10pm on Wednesday, 4 September 2024.

Signed as a true and correct record.

Date: ................................................ Chair: ...............................................