Te Kotuku - Raumati 2013

PANUI RAUMATI 2013

HE MIHI Kia ora koutou katoa – my apologies for a later than intended release of our Raumati edition of Te Kōtuku Rerenga Whā. I hope you will enjoy our updates on activities carried out over the last few months, as well as heads up on exciting events to come.

As reported in the last edition, the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board advertised four leadership positions in October 2012. The successful candidates have now been appointed and began working for the Trust Board in January and February this year.

The senior leadership team at the Trust Board now comprises Herena Te Wano (Iwi Services Leader), Dylan Tahau (Environmental Manager), Topia Rameka

(Commercial Development Leader), Murray Phillips (Chief Financial Officer) and Rakeipoho Taiaroa (Senior Advisor).

I’m honoured to have these individuals in the leadership team and look forward to their contributions towards fulfilling the kaupapa of this organisation – Mahi Rangatira ki te Iwi.

Inside this Issue: ENGAGEMENT WITH MRP & GENESIS TAUPŌ IRONMAN EVENT POU TIKANGA HUI

I hope you enjoy this edition of Te Kōtuku, mauriora ki a tātou katoa.

TAUPŌ SPORT FISHERY REVIEW

Tamarapa Lloyd CHIEF EXECUTIVE

ATIAMURI BRIDGE OPENING

MP for Taupō, Louise Upston joins kuia to open the new Atiamuri Bridge.

FRESHWATER & CROWN CONSULTATION HUI LAND AND WATER FORUM TE TURE WHENUA MĀORI REVIEW TŪRANGI LEGENDS – NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK 5-4 MAY 2013

For feedback please contact us by email on web@tuwharetoa.co.nz

ENGAGEMENT WITH MRP AND GENESIS In early 2012, the Government announced that it would be partially privatising State Owned Enterprises, Mighty River Power (MRP), Genesis Energy, Meridian Energy and Solid Energy.

In May 2012, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, under the leadership of Sir Tumu te Heuheu, presented a submission to the Mixed Ownership Model Select Committee outlining the concerns of Ngāti Tūwharetoa with regards to proposed partial privatisation.

Since then, the Trust Board has been engaged in complex discussions with MRP and Genesis Energy regarding the use of Taupō Waters for hydro-generation use. The Trust Boards guiding principles on this matter remains: • •

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Taupō Waters are a taonga to Ngāti Tūwharetoa; Commercial operators operating upon Taupō Waters require a licence to operate from the Trust Board according to the 2007 Deed between the Trust Board and the Crown; MRP and Genesis Energy are commercial operators and require an operating easement to provide for their activities to take place upon our property.

Currently the MRP Share Offer is open and the Trust Board with other Tūwharetoa entities have been listed in the prospectus. The references to the Trust Board in the prospectus relate to the discussions that are taking place between MRP and the Trust Board. The prospectus states, in MRP’s opinion they have all of the necessary rights to undertake their operations, whilst the Trust Board believes they must also have the consent of the land owner on which the water is stored.

Discussions with MRP continue. However, should this matter not be resolved to the satisfaction of the Trust Board, we may look to file proceedings in the High Court to seek judicial clarity as to our rights as set out in the 2007 Deed between the Trust Board and the Crown. The Trust Board will continue to keep Ngāti Tūwharetoa informed of developments.

TAUPŌ IRONMAN EVENT In February, the Trust Board received significant media attention regarding our discussions with Ironman NZ concerning the Taupō Ironman event - a commercially run sporting event that uses Lake Taupō.

Ironman NZ is owned by a multinational American-owned company who owns the Ironman brand. They run a number of international Ironman events around the world including the Taupō Ironman Event. The Taupō Ironman event has been operating for the past 14 years. The Trust Board has been in discussions with Ironman NZ for the past two years regarding their use of Lake Taupō. Despite our best efforts to be respectful of the sensitivities of these negotiations, details of discussions “spilled into” the public arena.

Incidentally, the Trust Board received favourable support from Ngāti Tūwharetoa and also from various commentators in the media. However, conducting commercial discussions under the media spot-light is not how we seek to do business. Nevertheless we were able to reach a confidential agreement with Ironman NZ.

POU TIKANGA HUI The Pou Tikanga wānanga programme aims to support hapū to help develop their paepae. Wānanga participants have been delegated by each marae to attend. Since the programme’s inception in 2011 eight noho marae have been held across the rohe. This is an important programme that seeks to rejuvenate and replenish our paepae.

The Pou Tikanga facilitators believe it is timely to recommence the programme for 2013. The first wānanga dates have been set as follows: •

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Saturday, 11 May, 2013 (venue to be confirmed) – One-day Wānanga; Saturday, 22 June – Sunday, 23 June, 2013 (venue to be confirmed) – Two-day Wānanga.

Unfortunately venues had not been confirmed in time for the release of this publication. Past Pou Tikanga participants will be sent information and notification to register by Tuesday, 30 April, 2013. If you have not participated in past wānanga and are interested in attending, please register your interest by contacting your marae secretary.

For further enquiries please email Henare Kuru at henare@tuwharetoa.co.nz

TAUPŌ SPORT FISHERY ATIAMURI BRIDGE REVIEW OPENING Over the past six months the Trust Board in partnership with the Department of Conservation has undertaken a project to review and explore future opportunities for Taupō Sport Fishery. The process has been robust with every aspect of the fishery examined and reviewed.

To date there have been a number of public meetings where views have been put and misunderstandings around Ngāti Tūwharetoa and the fishery clarified. The Sport Fishery Review Report is nearing completion and we look forward to informing you of the final recommendations from the Report.

On Saturday, 17 March a large group of Tūwharetoa kaumātua travelled to Atiamuri, in support of our Mōkai and Ongaroto families, to celebrate the blessing and opening of the new Atiamuri Bridge that crosses the Waikato River.

A formidable Paepae of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa and Raukawa pakeke welcomed visitors including the National MP for Taupō Louise Upston, representatives from both Taupō and South Waikato District Councils and the day’s hosts NZTA. With the bridge completed, work now turns to the de-construction of the old bridge and the re-development of the rest area next to ‘Te Kōhatu o Hatupatu’.

Full pae – Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngati Raukawa working together.

FRESHWATER & THE CROWNS CONSULTATION HUI Ngāti Tūwharetoa has been actively engaging with the Crown and their senior officials with regards to the Freshwater and Resource Management Reforms. Led by Sir Tumu te Heuheu, John Bishara (Chairman of the Trust Board) and Tamarapa Lloyd (Chief Executive) have worked alongside other iwi through the Iwi Leaders Group and Iwi Advisors Group to engage with Ministers and senior officials.

Last month, Crown officials travelled the length and breadth of New Zealand to present to iwi and communities about the reforms. Taupō was

the venue for the Central Plateau welcoming Minister for the Environment, Hon Amy Adams to the forum. Following presentations from officials, spirited discussion ensued with particular attention paid to the potential role local government would have and also the capacity required from iwi to participate in the collaborative planning process. The Trust Board supports some matters within the reforms; including the reduction of planning documents required, given Tūwharetoa engages a large number of Regional and District Councils that are all required to prepare plans.

While the Trust Board is an iwi representative body, our constituent hapū should and must have a major input into issues which impact on their natural taonga including freshwater.

To this end the Trust Board has encouraged the Government to continue to engage with relevant

hapū on matters pertinent to them with regard to freshwater issues.

Two key points for Ngāti Tūwharetoa were contained within the Board’s submission (sent 8 May, 2012) seeking clarification on the role of iwi/ Māori in the plan-making processes. In summary those submissions were: • If the proposed ‘advisory’ role is retained, the Crown needs to ensure iwi have a more proactive role working with a local authority at the start of the plan making process.

This means Ngāti Tūwharetoa would have meaningful involvement during the actual drafting stages of a resource management plan, where key values, interests and aspirations can be woven into the fabric of the plan.

• The Crown needs to closely monitor local authority performance in engaging with iwi and incorporating the advice and formal recommendations of iwi into resource management plans. The requirement to demonstrate how advice and formal recommendations are considered must be a mandatory consideration for local authorities.

The Trust Board will continue to keep Ngāti Tūwharetoa informed of developments to do with this important issue.

LAND AND WATER FORUM The Land and Water Forum (LaWF) completed its final report in November last year and presented it to the Minister for the Environment. The LaWF comprised of water users (e.g. power companies, NZ Beef, Irrigators, Fonterra), other stakeholders (e.g. Forest and Bird, Fish and Game NZ ) and iwi.

The Trust Board has been involved with the LaWF over the last three years advocating for our iwi position throughout this collaborative process.

Beneficially, the final report contains a strong statement from the LaWF participants asking the Crown and Iwi to work towards finding resolution to iwi rights and interests in freshwater.

Ngāti Tūwharetoa should take some comfort in knowing that through a difficult and often polarized process the LaWF participants, who are all water users with a vested interest in protecting their position to the exclusion of others, were able to reach a position of principle regarding iwi rights and interests. In our view this positive statement in the final LaWF report will assist Ngāti Tūwharetoa moving forward.

TE TURE WHENUA MĀORI REVIEW The Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993 is currently being reviewed and a discussion document has been released for comment. The review panel proposes five integrated measures that it considers will improve the likelihood of Māori land being used more effectively.

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Utilisation of Māori land should be able to be determined by a majority of engaged owners; All Māori land should be capable of utilisation and effective administration; Māori land should have effective, fit for purpose, governance; There should be an enabling institutional framework to support owners of Māori land to make decisions and resolve any disputes; Excessive fragmentation of Māori land should be discouraged.

The submission period closes on 17 May 2013. The Trust Board will be submitting on the review and encourage any trusts and incorporations to provide your views and suggestions to assist with the development of the Trust Board’s submission.

The Te Ture Whenua Review Panel will be visiting Taupō on 10 May 2013, 10am at the Great Lake Centre. The review document can be found on the Te Puni Kōkiri website.

TŪRANGI LEGENDS – NATIONAL YOUTH WEEK 5-14 MAY 2013 The Trust Board Iwi Services team in collaboration with Safer Communities Tūrangi is launching a rangatahi project during National Youth Week. The project aims to build relationships with Tūrangi rangatahi and celebrate them as “Tūrangi Legends”. Over a 4-6 week period rangatahi aged 15-17 years will be supported to share their story and perspectives on living in Tūrangi, their Tūwharetoatanga, and their dreams and aspirations. The rangatahi will use multi-media tools to compile their stories and share their work via social media.

In addition, the project acknowledges their potential as future leaders of organisations like the Trust Board, and also their role in supporting local goals of having a safe and vibrant community. Rangatahi will undertake development of basic skills to prepare them for participating in a simulated Board room experience. Their training will be put to the test when they facilitate their own formal meeting and participate in a formal debate on a topical issue. Should this pilot be successful then the project opportunity will be extended to rangatahi located in other parts of the rohe.

For more information please email Henare Kuru at henare@tuwharetoa.co.nz