Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party

14 May 2020

Tuhituhi o ngā Mahi O Te Kāhui Māori O Taitokerau

Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party Record of Actions

 

Meeting held via online Zoom meeting

on Thursday 14 May 2020, commencing at 11.00am - 3.30pm

 

 

Tuhinga (Present):

Co-Chair,  Marty Robinson

Co-Chair, Te Whakaminenga O Te Hikutu Hapu-Whanau, Rudy Taylor

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hine Pita Tipene

Councillor Justin Blaikie

Councillor Jack Craw

Councillor Colin Kitchen

Councillor Amy Macdonald

Councillor Penny Smart

Councillor Rick Stolwerk

Councillor Joce Yeoman

Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, Juliane Chetham

Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust, Georgina Connelly

Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa, Rihari Dargaville

Te Parawhau Hapū Authority Charitable Trust, Mira Norris

Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Rehia, Nora Rameka

Te Whakapiko Hapū, Rowan Tautari

Ngāti Tara, Victor Holloway

Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi, Janelle Beazley

Ngātiwai Trust Board, Hadyn Edmonds

Te Rūnanga O Whāingaroa, Toa Faneva

Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Whātua, Alan Riwaka

Te Rūnanga Nui o Te Aupōuri, Victor Goldsmith

Te Roroa, Thomas Hohaia

 

I Tae Mai (In Attendance):

Huihuinga i te katoa (Full Meeting)

NRC Chief Executive

GM – Strategy Governance and Engagement

Kaiwhakahaere Honongā Māori – Māori Relationships Manager

Kaiārahi – Tikanga Māori

Kaiārahi – Kaupapa Māori

Kaiawhina – Kaupapa Māori  

Strategy Policy and Planning Manager

PA/Team Admin Strategy Governance and Engagement

Ngati Hau, Mike Kake

Huihuinga i te wahanga (Part Meeting)

Northland Inc Chief Executive, Murray Reade

Strategic Policy Specialist

GM Customer Service – Community Resilience

GM Regulatory Services

Manager Biosecurity

Strategy Policy and Planning Manager

 

 

The meeting commenced at 11.04am.

Karakia / Whakatau

The karakia and mihi whakatau were done for the meeting in the non-elected members caucus session prior to the formal meeting.

Ngā Whakapahā/Apologies (Item 1.0)

Councillor John Bain

Nga whakapuakanga (Declarations of Conflicts of Interest) (Item 2.0)

It was advised that members should make declarations item-by-item as the meeting progressed.

 

Record of Actions – 12 March 2020 (Item 3.1)

The Record of Actions was approved as an accurate record, with two typing errors requested to be corrected.  

 

Economic development update from Northland Inc (Item 3.2)

Presented by: Murray Reade, CE of Northland Inc (NINC), who provided a summary of key economic data for Taitokerau. A theme throughout the presentation was the whanangatanga and collaboration built during the COVID-19 response, particularly through Economic Recovery Group, which comprises Ministry for Social Development, Te Puni Kōkiri, local business, Provincial Development Unit, iwi and local government.

 

Agreed action points: Nil.

 

Update on Taitokerau response to the drought and COVID-19 (Item 3.3)

Presented by: GM Customer Service – Community Resilience, and GM Regulatory Services who provided an overview of the Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) responses to COVID-19 and the drought response, noting that work is now focused on transitioning from response into recovery. 

A key feature of both responses was CDEM’s substantial engagement with Te Kahu o Taonui, the CDEM strategy being to support the iwi responses to deliver health, essential goods and digital connectivity into their communities.  

Agreed action points:

·                For TTMAC to consider, as part of the LTP, a scheme where water tanks are purchased for households through a payback scheme on the rates over 5 – 10 years, and if there are other partners that may be also be involved.

Secretarial Note: The meeting adjourned at 12.49 and reconvened at 1.20pm.

Terms of Reference and Strategic Programme (Item 3.4)

Presented by: GM – Strategy, Governance and Engagement, this item sought TTMAC endorsement of the revised Terms of Reference (ToR) and direction on what strategic topics TTMAC see as a priority to progress over the coming term.  

Agreed action points:

·                To endorse the proposed ToR, with the amendment that Te Roroa be included as one of the iwi authorities given its inclusion onto Te Kahu o Taonui.

·                To engage MTAG to flesh out the broad topics below and bring them back to TTMAC:

1.             Development of an overarching Water strategy

2.             Development of a Climate Change strategy

3.             Development of an Economic development strategy and with a focus on Maori Economic Development

4.             Development of a Marine strategy as it pertains to Taitokerau

5.             Build tangata whenua capacity and capability eg LTP etc

6.             Strengthen Maori Representation in Local Body politics

·                To invite Northland Inc (NINC) to return to the July TTMAC meeting to discuss their Statement of Intent and how TTMAC can have input into the annual process.

Secretarial Note: Item 3.8, 3.11, and 3.9 were addressed following Item(3.4).

Regional marae-based hui (Item 3.5)

TTMAC endorsed the recommendations from the non-elected members caucus for 2020’s marae-based hui:

11 June 2020                     Parapara. Hosted by Ngāti Tara (Victor Holloway)

13 August 2020                 Takiwira. Hosted by Ngāti Whatua (Alan Riwaka)

8 October 2020                 Bay of Islands. Hosted by Ngāti Rehia (Nora Rameka)

10 December 2020          Hokianga. Hosted by Te Hikutu (Rudy Taylor).

Rihari Dargaville, Te Rarawa, offered for Ngatimanawa marae, Panguru, to host one of the regional marae, preferably in summer, should one of the existing hosts withdraw.

Agreed action points:

·                Staff to confirm the first marae-based hui for 11 June 2020 with Ngāti Tara at Parapara marae.

 

Mātauranga Māori (Item 3.6)

Presented by: GM, Strategy Governance and Engagement, this item reported back on the Māori Technical Advisory Group’s (MTAG) initial discussion about establishing a clear and consistent approach as to how the council can support Mātauranga Māori in its decision-making and processes. It was acknowledged that this is not a simple matter and likely to be an iterative process.

During the discussion, issues around support for Māori to develop their own Mātauranga Māori frameworks, revisiting Iwi/Hapū Environmental Plans (IHEMPs) for insight, how to identify and apply shared tikanga, and the need to recognise iwi and hapū as territorial land authorities in their own right and as equals in the process, were raised.  

Agreed action points:

·                MTAG to revisit Iwi/Hapū Environmental Plans (IHEMPs) to see if they provide a sufficient guideline and to prepare a draft framework to bring back to TTMAC’s 9 July meeting.

 

Tane Whakapiripiri (Item 3.7)

Presented by: Kaiwhakahaere Hononga Māori | Māori Relationships Manager. TTMAC’s endorsement was sought for NRC to collaborate with Te Huinga (WDC), Te Puni Kōkiri and Ngā Hapū o Whangārei (authors of the Tane Whakapiripiri report) on developing an implementation plan for initiatives that would help streamline service delivery to Māori.

 

Agreed action points:

·                TTMAC endorsed the recommended actions, satisfied that the intention is to initially trial implementation with Ngā Hapū o Whangārei, and then for those learnings to inform what to implement across Taitokerau.

·                MTAG to work on how to deliver regional-wide wananga and pilot the Tane Whakapiripiri recommendations aimed to benefit Māori capability and capacity across the region.

 

Developing a draft water strategy (Item 3.8)

Presented by: Strategic Policy Specialist, this item sought TTMAC approval for staff and MTAG to work together on developing a draft water strategy for Taitokerau.

TTMAC supported the recommendations, with a wide-ranging kōrero covering:

·         water as a taonga

·         economic development being tied to water use and often in conflict with ecological, cultural, and recreational values

·         Mātauranga Māori and ecology being similar ways to value the same thing

·         ownership and allocation of water are two different things

·         hapū monitoring can help inform water quality data

·         Māori are Treaty partners, not just stakeholders, any water strategy needs to be developed within the Treaty framework

·         the need for a visionary document that also addresses customary right.

Agreed action points:

·                Staff to engage with MTAG to develop a draft water strategy, and to update TTMAC on progress.

 

Giving effect to water quality planning requirements in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (Item 3.9)

Presented by: Strategy Policy and Planning Manager, this item provided an overview of the process for the plan change to give effect to the water quality planning requirements of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM). Council is aiming to notify the plan change in late 2021.

TTMAC was supportive of MTAG continuing to work on the framework for an engagement approach for Māori. They also noted that effort should be made to capture a holistic analysis, and that iwi and hapū landowners should be consulted about the strategies they have in place for waterway improvement.

Agreed action points:

·                That staff continue working with MTAG on a proposed framework for engaging with iwi and hapū through the development of the plan change.

Secretarial Note: The meeting adjourned at 3.07pm and reconvened at 3.15pm.

Annual Plan 2020/21 (Item 3.10)

Presented by: GM, Strategy, Governance and Engagement, the report outlined that council has made some significant budget cuts due to the impact of COVID-19, including putting on hold new Māori-specific proposals. Should more money become available, council will look to bring back deferred proposals.

Agreed action points: Nil.

 

Update on development of an inter-regional marine pest pathway plan (Item 3.11)

Presented by: Biosecurity Manager, this item sought TTMAC’s endorsement for ongoing engagement between staff and MTAG on developing a proposal for a marine pest pathway plan under the Biosecurity Act 1993, with TTMAC being updated as to progress. 

TTMAC supported both the kaupapa and for staff to work with MTAG. They also noted that hapū and iwi kaitiaki rangers could partner with councils on the strategy, however, resources were needed so they could fully participate, not just in a voluntary capacity.

Agreed action points:

·                That staff continue working with MTAG on developing a proposal for a marine pest pathway plan under the Biosecurity Act 1993, with TTMAC being updated as to progress.  

 

Updates from other working parties (Item 3.12)

Presented by: TTMAC members from the working parties.

It was noted that, due to COVID-19, the Biosecurity and Biodiversity and the Climate Change working parties had not yet met.

A key issue for members regarding representation on working parties was better support in order to fully participate in the meetings, such as a pre-meeting briefing.

An update was also provided on what was happening with the four Shovel Ready projects put forward by NRC to central government (yet to be confirmed).  

Agreed action points:

·                Staff to work with MTAG on how to support TTMAC members on working parties, and how to work cohesively across working parties in a way that is efficient and effective, and how to prioritise meeting kaupapa.

 

Karakia mutunga by Rihari Dargaville.

Conclusion

The meeting concluded at 4.34.