DRAFTTe Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party

10 June 2021

Tuhituhi o ngā Mahi O Te Kāhui Māori O Taitokerau

Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party Record of Actions

 

Meeting held in the Council Chamber

36 Water Street, Whangārei

on Thursday 10 June 2021, commencing at 11.00am - 3.00pm

 

Tuhinga (Present):

Amy Macdonald, Councillor

Anamaera Kake, Te Waiāriki, Ngāti Korora, Ngāti Taka Hapū Iwi Trust

Colin Kitchen, Councillor (via audio visual link)

Georgina Connelly, Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust

Jack Craw, Councillor

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

Joce Yeoman, Councillor (via audio visual link)

Justin Blaikie, Councillor

Lynette Wharerau, Te Whakaminenga o Te Hikutu Hapu-Whanau

Marty Robinson, Councillor (Co-Chair)

Michelle Elboz, Ngāti Kuta, Patukeha

Mike Kake, Ngāti Hau

Mira Norris, Te Parawhau Hapū Authority Charitable Trust

Nora Rameka, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rehia

Penny Smart, Councillor (Chair, NRC)

Pita Tipene, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hine (Co-Chair)

Rick Stolwerk, Councillor

Rowan Tautari, Te Whakapiko Hapū

Terry Archer, Councillor

Thomas Hohaia, Te Roroa

Victor Holloway, Ngāti Tara

William Sullivan, Ngātiwai Trust Board

 

I Tae Mai (In Attendance):

Huihuinga i te katoa (Full Meeting)

Chief Executive Officer (via audio visual link)

Acting GM, Strategy Governance and Engagement

Kaiwhakahaere Honongā Māori – Māori Relationships Manager

Kaiārahi – Kaupapa Māori

PA/Team Admin Strategy Governance and Engagement

Huihuinga i te wahanga (Part Meeting)

Strategic Policy Specialist

Natural Resources Policy Manager

Climate Change Resilience Coordinator

Communications Manager

Community Engagement Manager

Acting GM – Environmental Services

David Badham and Makarena Dalton, Barker Associates

Huhana Lyndon, CEO Ngātiwai

Resource Management Unit, Ngātiwai Trust Board

 

The meeting commenced at 11.10am.

Karakia / Whakatau

Mike Kake provided the opening karakia for the meeting in the appointed members caucus session prior to the formal meeting with mihi from the Co-Chair. Thomas Hohaia closed the meeting with the karakia whakamutunga.

Ngā Mahi Whakapai/Housekeeping (Item 1.0)

Ngā Whakapahā/Apologies (Item 2.0)

Alan Riwaka, Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Whātua

Hoki Tua, Te Rūnanga o Whāingaroa

Juliane Chetham, Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board

Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, Te Rūnanga Nui o Te Aupōuri

Nga whakapuakanga (Declarations of Conflicts of Interest) (Item 3.0)

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

 

Record of Actions – 8 April 2021 (Item 4.1)

It was agreed that the Record of Actions was an accurate reflection of the meeting.

Agreed action points: Nil.

 

Receipt of Action Sheet (Item 4.2)

The action sheet was received.

Agreed action points: Nil.

 

Non-elected Members Allowances Policy (Item 4.3)

Presented by: Acting GM – Strategy Governance and Engagement.

Members received the report and endorsed an increase in the non-elected members meeting/workshop allowance from $188 to $240 for all council meetings/workshops, i.e., no differentiation between working parties, groups or committees, nor members and Co-Chairs. This endorsement will be included in a paper to council’s July meeting, which provides a review of the Non-elected Members’ Allowance Policy focused primarily on remuneration.

When considering their decision, members noted that representing their hapū and iwi was their key concern, not money. Balanced against that was not underselling their skills and knowledge, particularly for their successors to TTMAC.

Agreed action points: Nil.

Strategic priorities (Item 4.4)

Presented by: Acting GM – Strategy Governance and Engagement.

Members received the report. The document was viewed as an aspirational framework against which progress could be evaluated, providing accountbility back to hapū and iwi. It was agreed, however, that the document needed further development to sharpen it up, such as adding existing actions and budgets and and identifing future actions/budgets over a three trienniumn timeframe.

Agreed action points:

·                That the draft strategic direction document be further developed by the existing group and then returned to TTMAC for review.

Secretarial Note: David Badham and Makarena Dalton from Barker Associates, were in attendance and presented to the meeting about the strategic priorities workshop process and document.

 

Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) (Item 4.5)

Presented by: Acting GM – Strategy Governance and Engagement.

Staff presented on the legal situation around Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) and clarified that it was Far North District Council (FNDC) who had undertaken the SNAs mapping project. Following this, there was robust kōrero about the mapping and its implications for landowners and for taonga and rangatiratanga under Article 1 and Article 2 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi 1840. Members supported the SNA aim of protecting declining taonga but opposed the lack of tāngata whenua engagement and the limits SNAs would place on use of their whenua. It was agreed that the best step at this point would be a halt the process until the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity was released.

Agreed action points: Nil.

Secretarial Note: Raukura|CEO from Ngātiwai Trust Board, Huhana Lyndon, was in attendance and briefly addressed the meeting on the topic of SNAs, reinforcing the importance of working in partnership with hapū and iwi on matters pertaining to whenua Māori.

 

Review of representation on working parties (Item 4.6)

Presented by: Acting GM – Strategy Governance and Engagement.

Members received the report. Key discussion points included fair distribution of work load, consistency and connection with TTMAC, succession pathways, building capacity, and the nature of governance level working parties. Members decided to make more use of proxies (who are endorsed by iwi and hapū in the same way as TTMAC representatives) as a way to better distribute the load, increase capacity and the skill base rather than advancing with other options.

 

Agreed action points: Nil (as proxies are already provided for in Ngā Kupu Pānga|Terms of Reference.

 

TTMAC appointment(s) to other working parties of council (Item 4.7)

Members received the report, which sought to fill vacancies on the Planning and Regulatory Working Party, Māori Technical Advisory Group and Climate Change working Party. The report also confirmed Rihari Dargaville’s (Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa) appointment onto the Joint Climate Change Adaptation Committee as a TTMAC non-elected (tāngata whenua) member.

Agreed action points:

·                That the member for Ngātiwai be appointed onto the Planning and Regulatory Working Party (P&RWP) as a TTMAC member, to replace Pita Tipene (who is unable to attend meetings due to a schedule conflict)

·                That the member for Ngāti Rehia be appointed onto the Climate Change Working Party as a TTMAC member to fill the vacancy created by the change of Ngātiwai representative

·                That the member for Ngātiwai be appointed onto the Māori Technical Advisory Group (MTAG) to fill the vacancy created by the change of Ngātiwai representative.

Secretarial Note: The member for Ngātiwai advised that his proxy would be attending the P&RWP and MTAG on his behalf.

 

Regional marae-based hui (Item 4.8)

Presented by: Kaiwhakahaere Honongā Māori – Māori Relationships Manager.

Members received the report, which sought guidance from them about the value of hosting regional hui given the low number that had been held this triennium, mainly due to Covid-19 restrictions. Members confirmed marae-based hui as valuable and meaningful engagement for both council and iwi/hapū about local issues, noting that the model was still evolving. It was agreed to continue with regional marae-based hui but to make a sustained effort to make them successful across rohe. 

 

Agreed action points: Nil.

 

Regional hui host for 9 September 2021 (Item 4.9)

Members received the report and confirmed Te Uri o Hau as hosts for the 9 September 2021 regional marae-based hui. It also confirmed Moria Marae, Whirinaki-Hokianga as the host marae for TTMAC’s 8 July regional hui.

Agreed action points:

·                That Te Uri o Hau were confirmed as hosts for the 9 September 2021 regional marae-based hui, with the event based around the signing of a Mana Whakahono a Rohe with Northland Regional Council.

 

LTP 2021-2031 update (Item 4.10)

Presented by: Kaiārahi – Kaupapa Māori.

Members received the report which was accompanied by a presentation on the LTP process to date, outcomes of the LTP deliberations, the remaining LTP process and priorities for LTP 2021-2031 Year 1 workplan. Key discussion points included how to better involve tāngata whenua in policy making processes, raising concerns through the working parties, using the Te Tiriti Health Check process, the Whakatōhea Mandate Inquiry Report, and capacity of hapū to lobby for their specific issues, such as moorings. It was also noted that the Māori Technical Advisory Group (MTAG) had a heavy workload.

 

Agreed action points:

·                That the Māori Technical Advisory Group (MTAG) work with staff to provide input into the Te Tiriti Health Check workplan for LTP 2021-2031 Year 1.

 

Secretarial Note: Item 4.14 was addressed following Item 4.10.

Māori representation update (Item 4.11)

Presented by: Kaiwhakahaere Honongā Māori – Māori Relationships Manager.

Members received the report. Key points discussed included the importance of NRC engaging directly with iwi and hapū about Māori representation, how to support TTMAC to communicate about the engagement process, that the initial proposal about the geographical area and name may change for future triennium, and engagement with Te Kahu o Taonui.

 

Agreed action points:

·                That TTMAC endorse “Te Raki” as an alternate name to “Te Taitokerau Māori” for the “at large” geographical area of Northland  for the purpose of a single Māori constituency.

Secretarial Note: The feedback provided in points 1 – 5 on p 32 of the agenda was provided by the Māori Technical Advisory Group (MTAG) and shouldn’t be read as representing TTMAC’s collective view. Nor should NRC rely solely on the advice of TTMAC – direct engagement with iwi and hapū is also needed.

 

Secretarial Note: Item 4.13 was addressed following Item 4.11.

Update on Mapping of Outstanding Natural Landscapes in the Coastal Marine Area (Item 4.12)

Presented by: Natural Resources Manager.

Members received the report and provided strong feedback that NRC should request that the Environment Court park their process regarding the mapping of Outstanding Natural Landscapes (ONLs) as there is insufficient time to adequately consult with tāngata whenua while they are addressing the Significant Natural Areas issue. Members also said that an extended timeframe for consultation should be sought.

 

Agreed action points:

·                Staff will take TTMAC’s feedback to council for their consideration and discuss it with council’s lawyers.

 

NRC Climate Change Strategy and Implementation Plan (Item 4.13)

Presented by: Climate Change Resilience Coordinator

Members received the report and reflected it’s long term importance with the words “Ngā taumata o te Moana” (Te Ruki Kawiti, Jan 13, 1846) for the name of the climate change strategy.  The meaning was defined literally as “Look to the horizons of the ocean” and figuratively as “Think strategically and maintain a global orientation whilst appreciating the ground upon which you stand”.

 

Agreed action points:

·                To invite Mike Smith to present from a te ao Māori viewpoint to TTMAC about climate change.

Secretarial Note: Item 4.13 was addressed following Item 4.11.

 

Kaipara Moana Remediation Programme (Item 4.14)

Presented by: Acting GM – Environmental Services.

The members received the report which was accompanied by a presentation that included the following key points: memorandum of understanding, funding, co-governance, key actions (farm environment plans, planting of highly erodible land, fencing and planting of wetlands and waterways, construction of wetlands and afforestation), Year 1 and 2 workplans, opportunities, progress on establishing Kaipara Maurikura (operations business unit), Crown and Kaipara Uri engagement with hapū in the upper catchment, tools.

 

Agreed action points: Nil.

Secretarial Note: Item 4.14 was addressed following Item 4.10.

 

Tangata Whenua Water Advisory Group (Item 4.15)

Presented by: Natural Resources Manager

The members received the report. They endorsed the Tāngata Whenua Water Advisory Group’s (TWWAG) Terms of Reference with the exception of the remuneration clauses.

 

Agreed action points: Nil.

·                That TTMAC endorse the Tāngata Whenua Water Advisory Group’s (TWWAG) Terms of Reference with the exception of the remuneration clauses, which should be paid in accordance with the Non-Elected Members’ Allowance Policy.

 

Working Party Reports (Item 4.16)

Taken as read.

Agreed action points: Nil.

 

Chief Executive Officer's report to May council meeting (Item 4.17)

Taken as read.

Agreed action points: Nil.

Whakamutunga (Conclusion)

The meeting concluded at 3.10pm with karakia whakamutunga by Thomas Hohaia.