New hands take on environmental mahi
Council committee gets tā ngata whenua members
The recent arrival of new tāngata whenua representatives is changing the face of environmental co-governance in Hawke's Bay, Te Matau a Māui.
The Regional Planning Committee at Hawke's Bay Regional Council has the hefty task of managing natural resources, specifically the region's air, land, water and coastal marine environments.
The committee has welcomed a new co-chairman and three new tāngata whenua members, taking the place of three long-serving Mā ori members.
Apiata Tapine of Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa was voted co-chair, alongside regional council chairman and councillor Rick Barker.
Allana Hiha of Mana Ahuriri Trust shares the committee deputy co-chair role with Cr Will Foley.
Laura Kele and Keri Ropiha have joined the committee representing Heretaunga Tamatea Settlement Trust, and Theresa Thornton represents Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust.
Committee co-chair Apiata Tapine says: “For tangata whenua, protecting and restoring our precious taonga of freshwater for the benefit of everyone is an urgent priority
and so we welcome our new committee members to assist in this mahi”.
Regional chairman Barker says progress and improvements are needed.
“The vehicle for this will be our Kotahi Plan, which will set rules and minimum standards for water use in our region.”
The Kotahi Plan stretches into all aspects of the environment including freshwater, soil management, the coastal and marine area, biodiversity, natural hazards and risks, climate change, energy, transport, and infrastructure.
The planning committee
includes an equal number of regional councillors and Post Settlement Governance Entity (PSGE) representatives, making a committee of up to 18.
A PSGE manages Treaty of Waitangi settlement assets on behalf of iwi claimant groups.
The changes to the planning committee follow the recent death of Peter Paku of Heretaunga Tamatea Settlement Trust, and the stepping down of the previous co-chair Liz Munroe of Heretaunga Tamatea Settlement Trust, and Tania Huata of Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust.