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·
Api
Robin (Te
Whanganui-a-Orotū)
– A large group of mana whenua was taken to the river where Shade and
Ngaio demonstrated new equipment to test water quality and temperature, and
explained how detrimental increased water temperature can be to the fish
life.
· Peter Eden (Te Whanganui-a-Orotū ) also spoke about the
importance of monitoring the water quality, and advised they are having hard
conversations with whanau about not gathering kai moana because it could be
detrimental to their health.
· Paora Sciascia (Tamatea) spoke about Porangahau being
the first of the flooded areas to be asked to have an MoU and would like to
know more detail about regional council plans.
· In response to a pātai from
Mike Paku about the MoUs, Te Wairama Munro advised that the MoUs are with marae
and hapū at place, specifically for the NIWE funded programme of flood
resilience work and not ‘other’ flood related works. MOUs have been developed
by the IPMO (Mana Whenua Engagement Facilitator) and are utilised when
engaging mana whenua in partnerships, to complete CIAs, etc. The information shared
at the last committee meeting will be redistributed to the Committee.
· Henare Mita (Wairoa) expressed some hoha
about the number of wananga being held and the commitment required by tangata
whenua to comment or provide feedback.
· Dr Roger Maaka (Tamatea Pōkai
Whenua) spoke about the significance of Lake Whatumā and shared a video presentation about
the restoration of the lake as part of a programme being run by the
Whatumā Management Group.
·
Dianne
Smith (Tamatea) noted the completion of the Tranche 2 Water Take Environment
Court hearing with 6 hapū presenting cultural evidence; the Managed Aquifer
Recharge Project is a trial project taking winter water to store it to
recharge groundwater – to see if this works; the Tukituki Water Security
Project to be run by a community trust and Tamatea Pōkai Whenua has been
offered 2 positions on the community trust. Tamatea has no position on the
dam at present. This is one of the fast-track projects.
Ana Te Whaiti arrived at
11.40am
·
In
response to a pātai from Mike Paku it was stressed that tangata whenua engagement
in water security programmes must be established at the inception of big water
storage projects like Tukituki and Heretaunga so that they are part of the
development.
· Dianne clarified that the 2 positions
on the community trust provide an opportunity for mana whenua to be involved in
the Tukituki project. She queried how the Regional Water Security Assessment Report
could be applied to and considered in the current water security discussions.
· It was suggested that the Māori
Committee hui in March 2025 receive a paper on how to bring together all the
projects for the water security kaupapa and a strategy for ensuring all the
relevant iwi are properly engaged.
· Marei Apatu (Heretaunga) reminded
the committee about the Heretaunga groundwater plan developed by David Dravid
and the importance of including tangata whenua in discussions to avoid ending
up in the Environment Court. Better to participate than to litigate. Marei then
spoke of the water/river monitoring at Omahu and development of their Waiora
Cultural Awa Index. Marei acknowledged Stuart Whyte, who provided emergency
training for 21 marae/hapū representatives who will work on producing emergency
management plans for their marae.
· Ana Te Whaiti (Heretaunga) advised
that there have been a lot of hui to bring whanau back to the whenua and
nurturing an environment of tūrangawaewae centred on whanau/hapū
and marae. In relation to Waimarama beach access, a recent hui managed to
achieve a commitment from those present to work together to resolve the
issues for the long term benefit of te taiao, including starting a sand dune
restoration project led by Ron Flowers.
· Paul Kelly (Kahungunu Executive
Wairoa) advised
that Kahungunu
Executive continues
to support the community with health programmes, education, and providing whanau
housing.
· Katarina Kawana (Wairoa Taiwhenua) advised that there’s
a clothing bank in partnership with the Red Cross, support for an alternative
education programme for tauira has proven very successful, and that the Taiwhenua
(3 Bridge Street) building is available to all marae to use. A recent wananga
facilitated by Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa (TToW) provided
space for Māori to air their issues and ideas about the proposed flood
protection options, supporting each other. There are more wananga to come, to
provide the opportunity for Māori to hammer out issues for themselves. She
feels that the community has been bullied (politically by the crown) and
Peter Eden offered the support of Ahuriri. The main marae that will be
affected by the proposed plan are Ruataniwha, Takitimu, and Tawhiti-a-Maru.
· Thompson Hokianga acknowledged the
korero of the previous speakers and the importance of all of their mahi
across the rohe.
· Charles Lambert noted that water is
high on Council’s agenda with water security is back on the agenda now.
Mohaka whanau are still looking at getting a global consent for gravel
extraction on the river. Negotiations relating to land categorisation are
ongoing and looking at making land available to support whanau and bring whanau
back to the whenua. As stated in the independent flood review report, the
Council needs to work better with tangata whenua.
·
Bayden
Barber (Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc) noted that that there have been lots of
involvement, engagements and hui a motu going on, but what and where to next?
What is the new Māori Queen’s role in bringing the motu together? We
need a political strategy as Māori
with the elections coming up, so we set the narrative as opposed to reacting.
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