Consultation with Iwi
Southland local authorities entered into a Charter of Understanding with Kāi Tahu o Murihiku in 1997 to define the process for facilitating Kāi Tahu o Murihiku involvement and consultation in resource consent processes administered by the local authorities.
Maori take a holistic view of their cultural and traditional relationship with their ancestral lands, water, sites wāhi tapu and other taonga, and are often interested in the general ecology as well as specific sites and species.
Sections 6(e), 7(a) and 8 of the Resource Management Act (RMA) recognise the matters of importance to Iwi and the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in resource management matters.
The RMA allows a resource consent application to be processed non-notified provided the written approval of affected parties is obtained and the adverse effects of the activity will be minor. The RMA also requires copies of all notified applications to be served on Iwi.
The Fourth Schedule of the RMA requires that in assessing the effects of an application, the application has identified those persons interested in or affected by the proposal, the consultation undertaken, and any response to the views of those consulted.
Te Tangi a Tauira (the Iwi Resource Management Strategy available in public libraries) describes in detail Kāi Tahu policies and desired outcomes regarding resource use activities and impacts on Kāi Tahu interests and should be referred to wherever possible.
Issues concerning Iwi values
Water and water-related activities that affect:
- The Mauri (life sustaining capacity)
- The quality and flow
- Habitat (e.g. shellfish beds, fish passage and plants)
- Tauranga Waka (canoe landing areas) or similar wāhi tapu
- Waterbodies, waterways or wetlands, especially kōhanga (breeding areas)
- Mahinga kai (traditional food gathering sources) or the access to it
- Disturbance of beds
- Discharges and abstractions
- Construction of dams, culverts
- Coastal space occupation
Land activities that affect:
- Mahinga kai or the access to it
- The habitat of flora and fauna
- The Mauri (life sustaining capacity of land)
- Riparian margins within 20 metres of waterbodies/ways
- Significant natural features (monuments, spiritual)
- Wāhi tapu (sacred places e.g. burial sites or battle sites)
- Wāhi taonga (special places e.g. village sites)
- High altitude burning
- Land disturbance for forestry
What your consultation should include
In your application you will need to provide the following information about your Iwi consultation:
- The Iwi which holds traditional authority in the area
- The name of the recognised Iwi authority
- Who you consulted
- How your consultation was conducted
- The significance or value the affected resource has to the Iwi
- The human activities, with the potential to affect the resource, of concern to the Iwi
- Whether there is a kaitiaki role for the Iwi in the area
- Any other issues raised by the Iwi
- What was decided – how concerns (if any) can be met
How do I begin a consultation
You may wonder where and how to begin consultation. Correct approaches must be used. It is certainly not appropriate to write to the local Iwi authority and interpret no reply as approval of your project. Making a direct approach to the Iwi authority is important. All Iwi authorities in the region have a contact person to deal with resource management matters.
The Iwi structure does not allow for an immediate response to written requests for information. Adequate time must be provided for when requesting information from the Iwi, hapu or whanau.
If you need help, the Council can provide guidance as it has established working relationships with all Iwi within the region. The Council has a Maori Policy Advisor who will advise you on who to contact and how to best conduct your consultation.
Maori glossary
Hapu: Sub-tribe, usually the group associated with a marae or local area. Each tribe has a number of hapu.
Iwi Tribe: They have an interest in the land and resources of a particular region or district.
Iwi Authority: The organisation which has the Iwi's authority to represent it and is recognised by that Iwi as doing so.
Kaitiaki: The person or agent who exercises guardianship.
Kaitiakitanga: The exercise of guardianship.
Marae: Traditional centre of the hapu. The complex of meeting house, dining hall and other facilities.
Papakainga: Housing on ancestral land.
Taonga: Valued possession, treasure. Can be tangible e.g. a lake or a river, or intangible e.g. Maori language.
Waahi Tapu: Sacred site or place.
Whanau: Extended family.
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.