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Nic Peet introduced the item,
providing a brief history of the process undertaken to date and highlighting:
·
Milestone
today is a step toward wholistic flood management for Wairoa including
management of the bar, and erosion and sediment loss in the upper catchment.
Andrew Caseley, NIWE programme
Director, highlighted:
·
The
objective of the project is to move category 2C properties to category 1.
· Community engagement will continue throughout
the journey with the Tripartite Partnership and Wairoa Flood Mitigation
Project Stakeholder Group and direct engagement with impacted landowners
being critical to the project’s success.
· Option 1C is for a spillway 170m
wide and 2m deep, enclosed by small stopbanks averaging 1.2m high, which will
take 800 cm3 out of the Wairoa River.
·
The
biggest risks to the project relate to the land access required for the
project.
Mayor
Craig Little acknowledged the Tripartite Partners, the HBRC governors, the
Crown Manager and all those who have been involved, particularly mana whenua,
in this massive project. This project is about protecting the Wairoa whanau
from future devastation.
Leon
Symes acknowledged the momentous occasion and the efforts to arrive at the
recommendations today, noting that Tātau Tātau o te Wairoa (TToW)
does not support option 1C as stated in a letter which was tabled (attached).
Decisions for whenua Māori need to be made by the owners of the whenua
for themselves and TToW will support them to make their decisions. Mana
whenua want a comprehensive whole-of-catchment solution.
Denise
Eaglesome-Karekare spoke as an impacted landowner herself and mana whenua. Of
utmost concern is the welfare of whanau and preservation of the marae and
urupa where precious tupuna rest. Mana whenua have actively engaged in the
process and the majority support option 1C being put forward. Those not
affected must respect and understand mana whenua and the sacrifices being
made and find a way through together.
Lawrence
Yule, Crown Manager, acknowledged the huge emotion, the scale and controversy
of the decision and their impacts and committed to working to find a solution
that will provide the best possible protection for the Wairoa community.
Completely concurs with the need for a whole-of-catchment management plan
however there is no perfect solution and need to take advantage of the
Crown’s funding to find a solution. Suggests that the next 2-3 weeks
the alignment, profile, and design of 1C are optimised to minimise the amount
of whenua Māori land impacted.
Questions and discussions covered:
·
Land
access is being pursued via different options including easements, noting
that land under the Public Works Act if in the future the land is no longer
required for the purpose it was acquired is ‘given back’.
· Ongoing maintenance will be managed
and paid for by HBRC in the most suitable way for the final solution.
· Priority for next 3 months will be
landowner conversations based on the refined 1C.
· The objective is to move all the
properties in 2C to category 1. The triggers for the category change will be
that land access is secured, the solution is consented and the Crown funding
is secured.
· HBRC is in regular dialogue with the
Insurance Council in relation to flooding risks and work to move communities
out of category 2C into category 1.
· The Order in Council essentially
front-loads the consent application process in relation to public
consultation so the process will not include the usual submissions, hearing
and appeal provisions. It is not, though, a part of the ‘fast
track’ process.
· Without compromising the Project Development
Plan and government process, there’s no other option to having access
to the whenua Māori.
·
With
no protection put in place there would be around 280 homes put into category
3.
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