Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party

9 July 2020

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 9 July 2020, commencing at 11.00am - 3.30pm

Tuhinga (Present):

Co-Chair,  Marty Robinson

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

Councillor Justin Blaikie

Councillor Jack Craw

Councillor Amy Macdonald

Councillor Joce Yeoman

Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust, Georgina Connelly

Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa Rihari Dargaville

Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi, Mike Kake

Te Parawhau Hapū Authority Charitable Trust, Mira Norris

Te Whakapiko Hapū, Rowan Tautari

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

Ngātiwai Trust Board Hadyn Edmonds

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hine Pita Tipene

Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Whātua Antony Thompson

I Tae Mai (In Attendance):

Huihuinga i te katoa (Full Meeting)

NRC Acting Chief Executive

GM – Strategy Governance and Engagement

Kaiwhakahaere Honongā Māori – Māori Relationships Manager

Kaiārahi – Tikanga Māori

Kaiārahi – Kaupapa Māori

Kaiawhina – Kaupapa Māori  

PA/Team Admin Strategy Governance and Engagement

Huihuinga i te wahanga (Part Meeting)

Northland Inc Chief Executive, Murray Reade

Northland Inc Director, Kris McDonald

Northland Inc, General Manager, Investment and Infrastructure

Economist

Strategic Policy Specialist

Natural Hazards Advisor

(Ms Kawiti)

(RMA advisor Ngāti Wai)

FNDC, Team Leader, Māori Relationships

The meeting commenced at 11.00am.

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)

Chair Penny Smart

Councillor John Bain

Councillor Colin Kitchen

Councillor Rick Stolwerk

Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, Juliane Chetham

Ngāti Kuta, Patukeha, Michelle Elboz

Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Rehia, Nora Rameka

Ngāti Tara Victor Holloway

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

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. For clarity the Co-Chairs took time to explain the difference between financial and non-financial conflicts of interest.

Secretarial Note: Office of the Auditor General has put out new guidance about conflicts of interest applicable to appointed and elected members. An online quiz providing common examples of conflicts of interest is at https://oag.parliament.nz/good-practice/conflicts-of-interest/quiz-2020.

Record of Actions – 14 May 2020 (Item 3.1)

The Record of Actions was amended as follows and then approved as an accurate record. The record at Item 3.4 was amended to read:

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 with a focus on Māori  Economic Development

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

5. Build tāngata whenua capacity and capability e.g. LTP etc

6. Strengthen Maori Representation in Local Body politics.

Māori Elected Members on Council (Item 3.2)

Presented by: Kaiwhakahaere Honongā Māori |Māori Relationships Manager, the item informed TTMAC that the new council has decided to consider Māori representation ahead of when it is statutorily required after the 2022 election, through a series of workshops. A decision is needed by 23 November 2020 if Māori seats are to be provided for the 2022 local government elections.

Key discussion points included:

· How TTMAC organise themselves to discuss and make recommendations on Māori representation in preparation for September’s TTMAC meeting.

· It is timely to revisit the Te Taitokerau Māori in Local Government symposium held in 2019 to maintain its momentum for better representation, including with the wider community: https://www.taitokerautukaha.nz/symposium.

· Acknowledgement of the positive changes in council in the last 6 – 9 months and the importance of continued commitment to the agreed TTMAC value of being true to the purpose of the partnership (ngākau pono).

Agreed action points:

· An additional online meeting of tāngata whenua members is to be held to further discuss this item, on the basis that there was insufficient time to address some large topics in the caucus session and a number of members were absent whose views should be heard.

· Staff are to provide a copy of the recommendations that TTMAC had given the previous council.

Secretarial Note: Later during the meeting items 3.5 and 3.6 were added to the agenda for the additional online hui and it was confirmed that a meeting allowance could be claimed.

Development of Long Term Plan 2021-2031 (Item 3.3)

Presented by: Kaiārahi Kaupapa Māori seeking endorsement for staff to work with MTAG to provide input into the Long Term Plan process (LTP), and for MTAG’s recommendations to be brought back to TTMAC’s September meeting. Key discussion points:

· How the Mauri model can inform and balance, from a Te Ao Māori view, local government’s four wellbeings (economic, social, cultural, and environmental).

· A practical example of where local strategic decision-making from iwi/hapū is not listened to by government agencies and is creating friction (Mimiwhangata).

· A positive example of balancing economic and environmental sustainability is the significant funding for Kauri Dieback which will empower and employ Māori in Te Taitokerau.

· Council will need to consult in the LTP for co-funding for the Kaipara Moana Remediation project.

· An example of where the use of Te Reo Māori could be improved in the LTP is mana whenua vs tangata whenua.

Agreed action points:

· Add Kaipara Moana Remediation project to future TTMAC agenda

· That MTAG work with staff to provide input into the long term planning process and then provide MTAG’s recommendations to TTMAC for review and endorsement at TTMAC’s September meeting.

Secretarial Note: NRC’s Kaiārahi Kaupapa Māori provided the presentation, “Long Term Plan 2021 – 31” encompassing the following key points:

· Purpose of the presentation – Seeking endorsement of MTAG LTP workshops

· LTP at a glance:

o a business continuity document 

o a legislated process seeking long term and short term balance

o fits a Mauri model of wellbeing

· TTMAC and LTP process:

o indicative dates

o TTMAC and draft LTP process

· Proposed workshops (past, present and future)

· Request that TTMAC via MTAG provides advice that will inform LTP planning, and endorse the MTAG workshops.

Draft NRC Climate Change Strategy (Item 3.4)

Presented by: NRC’s Natural Hazards Advisor sought guidance from TTMAC as to the process, direction and content of the draft NRC Climate Change Strategy and to work with MTAG to achieve this. Key discussion points:

· How this strategy aligns with those on water and economic development and what funding will underpin the work.

· Having a strategy helps us understand what resources will be needed, which can then be requested through the LTP process.

· How the strategy might change to adequately value and incorporate a Te Ao Māori framework, such as the maramataka, which Māori rely on to sustainably support life, as balanced against western science.

· Examples were provided of how the maramataka works as a tool to provide guidance to protect and nurture life and the variety of tohu that provide signals hapū.

Agreed action points:

· That MTAG works with council to further develop the draft NRC Climate Change Strategy so it better includes and articulates Te Ao Māori tools.

Proposed Māori engagement approach - Water quality plan change (Item 3.5)

Presented by: GM – Strategy Governance and Engagement sought TTMAC’s endorsement of a proposed approach to Māori engagement on the fresh water quality plan change developed by MTAG and the nomination of three TTMAC members to sit alongside councillors in workshops to prepare the plan change and to sit on the Tangata Whenua Water Advisory Group.

Agreed action points:

· That councillors Blaikie and Yeoman be appointed to the selection panel for considering and appointing the members of the Tangata Whenua Advisory Group (recommendation 1(b)(iii) and (iv))

· That this item be added to the topics for discussion and decision at the additional online hui referred to in the actions for Item 3.2.

Northland Inc - Statement of Intent (Item 3.6)

Presented by: Murray Reade, CEO Northland Inc and Kris McDonald, Director of Northland Inc provided an overview of Northland Inc’s Statement of Intent (SOI) with particular focus on Māori economic development. Key discussion points:

· Implementation of climate change and its impacts on Te Taitokerau and sustainability need to be more visible in the SOI and how it relates to Māori.

· An analysis of how to better promote Te Taitokerau tourism Māori ventures and initiatives is required.

· Partnering with Māori on economic development in Te Taitokerau is one of seven objectives for 2020-2023, and requires a reflection of te reo Māori in its intent.

· With respect to funding:

o Of NRC’s $50m budget, $1.3m goes to NINC. A MartynJenkins review showed this spend was comparable to other councils and districts spending

o In addition to NINC’s operational budget, other funding has been secured through projects such as Manea,| Footprints of Kupe, Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust, and NINC themselves increase their revenue through other funding

o There is discussion about Northland councils transitioning NINC into a jointly owned and funded CCO that better aligns and coordinates economic development across the region

o Economic development has to be balanced against other council aspirations

o NINC’s initial funding relied on hapū assets without the hapū seeing any benefit.

· NINC see TTMAC as a critical part of partnership with Māori in Te Taitokerau and support engaging with TTMAC about economic development, whether through MTAG or potentially the option of a Māori economic development working party.

· Staff can inform economic development through MTAG by providing members with expertise from NRC’s economist and information from BERL and relevant research, recognising that it is about capacity of iwi and hapū to engage meaningfully in this process.

Agreed action points:

· That this item be added to the topics for discussion at the additional online hui referred to in the actions for Item 3.2.

Secretarial Note: Murray Reade, CEO and Kris McDonald, Director of Northland Inc were in attendance and provided a presentation on Northland Inc’s Statement of Intent encompassing the following key points:

· Northland Inc’s Vision, Mission and Strategy

· Objectives 2020 – 2023

· Key performance indicators

o Economic development recovery

o Investment and PGF

o Engagement, collaboration and visibility

o Destination management and marketing

· Objective for Māori economic development

· Key tasks

o Organisational learning and development in order to be a better partner

o Build better relationships to understand where to focus efforts

o Execution of agreed activities

· Current execution mechanisms

· Transformational

o He Tāngata

o He Whēnua

o He Ōranga.

Secretarial Note: The meeting adjourned at 12.53pm and reconvened at 1.25pm.

MTAG membership (Item 3.7)

Presented by: Kaiwhakahaere Honongā Māori |Māori Relationships Manager.

Agreed action points:

· That Janelle Beazley, representing Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi, be appointed to the Māori Technical Advisory group as its seventh member.

Update: Māori Technical Advisory Group (Item 3.8)

Presented by: Kaiwhakahaere Honongā Māori |Māori Relationships Manager, this item provided an update on MTAG’s activities and sought TTMAC endorsement for MTAG to work on new items, with NRC’s Strategic Policy Specialist attending to provide an update on the Draft Freshwater Strategy.

Key discussion points included:

· TTMAC would like a better understanding of what budget is allocated for TTMAC and for resourcing the projects MTAG and the working parties are discussing (noting that activities outside the Māori Relationships budget such as pest control, kaitiaki rangers and coast care also need to be taken into account)

· Any additional money sought for activities needs to be re-allocated from another budget (stop doing something) or new money needs to be found, and this is done through the LTP process

· MTAG’s key points for inclusion in the draft Freshwater Strategy were:

o more recognition of Mana o Te Wai

o greater participation for Māori in decision-making

o building capacity for Māori to participate

· The next steps are to wait for release of the National Policy Statement (NPS-FM), refine the draft further, return to TTMAC’s September meeting for feedback and them use the strategy during the LTP process to provide a long term vision

· Clarification about protection and monitoring around bores on private land and water takes and storage generally

· MTAG’s mahi and expertise on the draft Freshwater Strategy was acknowledged.

Agreed action points:

· That MTAG consider what could be submitted through the LTP process, for example to ask for money to support Tane Whakapiripiri

· That the Draft Freshwater Strategy returns to TTMAC’s September meeting (if the NPS-FM has been released)

· That MTAG commence developing advice for TTMAC consideration on :

o Disposal of human remains and scattering of ashes at sea practices

o Cultural Impact Assessments Project.

Updates from other working parties (Item 3.9)

The item was taken as read with verbal reports from the respective working party Chairs and members present giving greater detail around issues of interest to TTMAC members.

Agreed action points:

· Some members appointed to working parties are unable to attend meetings due to ongoing meeting clashes. MTAG are to consider what options might work so members can participate

· Consider adding a presentation on physiographic erosion for the next TTMAC meeting.

Any other business (Item 3.10)

· The next regional hui is at Takiwira by Ngāti Whatua. TTMAC representative Antony Thompson to liaise with Kaiārahi Tikanga Māori to establish logistics and relevant agenda items for Ngāti Whatua and TTMAC.

· The map at the back of the Terms of Reference is not geographically accurate.

Agreed action points:

· NRC will be guided by TTMAC advice on how the map in Appendix to the Terms of Reference might be addressed.

Conclusion

The meeting concluded with a karakia by Rihari Dargaville at 2.55pm.