Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa High Court Appeal – Creswell

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Status: For immediate release

Date: 17 January 2020

Subject: TE RŪNANGA O NGĀTI AWA APPEAL ENVIRONMENT COURT DECISION ON CRESWELL’S WATER BOTTLING OPERATION TO THE HIGH COURT

After careful consideration since receiving the Environment Court’s decision on 10 December 2019, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa has today lodged an appeal in the High Court against the Environment Court’s majority decision to allow Creswell NZ Limited to take extract 1.1 billion litres of water per annum for water bottling from the Awaiti aquifer. This aquifer is in the rohe of Ngāti Awa.  

Environment Court appeal and decision

In 2018, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa lodged an appeal in the Environment Court opposing the consents granted to Creswell NZ Ltd to extract 1.1 billion litres of water per annum for water bottling.   An appeal hearing was held in May 2019. Our evidence and legal submissions were heard by the Environment Court at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae, Whakatāne.

In the week of the Whakaari eruption, on 10 December 2019 we received the Environment Court’s decision on our appeal against the decision to grant Creswell consent to take water for the purpose of bottling and export.  The majority of the Environment Court confirmed the Regional Council’s decision (and therefore Creswell’s application) to take water for the purpose of bottling and export, and dismissed our appeal in part.   One of the three Commissioners recommended Creswell’s consent be declined.

High Court Appeal

As a result of our on-going concerns, and after careful consideration of the Environment Court’s decision, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa has lodged an appeal in the High Court.  Appeals to the High Court from decisions of the Environment Court are restricted to points of law.

Leonie Simpson, Manahautū (CEO) Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa says “We are extremely concerned about the effects on te mauri o te wai, and the ability of Ngāti Awa to exercise kaitiakitanga due to Creswell’s proposed activities. As kaitiaki and tangata whenua we must be included in decisions about our taonga and on issues that affect us in our rohe”.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa also remains focused on caring for our manuhiri, their families, friends and our staff through the Whakaari tradgedy. 

Our communications priority for this High Court appeal is to keep Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Representatives and hapū updated on progress, and we will not be making any further comment at this time.

ENDS

For enquiries please contact:

Leonie Simpson

Manahautū (CEO) Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa

leonie@ngatiawa.iwi.nz

Tours to Moutohorā: Island Sanctuary

White Island Tours Limited has recommenced tours to Moutohorā Island for the first time since the Whakaari/White Island eruption on 9 December 2019.

CEO Tracey Hook says that whilst this is a positive step forward in terms of providing certainty and employment for staff, the recommencement of tours will be a sombre and emotional occasion.

White Island Tours has carried out tours to Moutohorā for a number of years.

‘Tourism is an important contributor for our local economy and our staff are eager to get back to work,’ says Tracey.

No prohibitions had been placed on Moutohorā following the eruption, but the tour had been temporarily ceased out of respect for the victims, staff and affected families. 

Moutohorā Island is jointly managed by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and Te Papa Atawhai through Te Tapatoru a Toi and is a designated Wildlife Management Reserve.

Moutohorā is a pest-free oasis that is home to a number of New Zealand’s rare and endangered plants, birds and reptiles.  The tour includes a journey through the regenerated native bush before stopping at the island’s secluded hot water beach. 

‘This is an important milestone for not just our staff but also the broader Whakatāne community,’ says Tracey.

‘We thank everyone locally, nationally and internationally for their support. Our hearts and prayers remain firmly with the families who were and continue to be affected by this tragedy.’

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Clarifies Position On Ōwairaka Issue

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Status: For immediate release

Date: 10 January 2020

Subject: Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Clarifies Position On Ōwairaka Issue

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa wishes to clarify its position on the protests at Ōwairaka to clear up any confusion around our involvement in the matter.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa is the mandated representative iwi entity for Ngāti Awa established under our Settlement Act 2005 to receive and administer our Treaty of Waitangi Settlement with the Crown.

Our Settlement with the Crown was led by Ngāti Awa kaumātua and endorsed by iwi members of Ngāti Awa by postal ballot in 2004/2005.

As per our legislation, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa represents the twenty-two (22) hapū of Ngāti Awa who elect a hapū representative to Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa every three years.

Further, our legislation sets out that Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa acts for and on behalf of ngā uri o ngā hapū o Ngāti Awa, being the members of Ngāti Awa in the Eastern Bay of Plenty. 

The Ngāti Awa area of interest as set out in our Settlement legislation is from Waihi Estuary near Maketu in the West to Ōhiwa in the East and inland towards Rotoiti, Tarawera, and Taneatua.

Iwi members of Ngāti Awa can freely express their opinions and perspectives as they choose, however, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa confirms that our authorised spokespersons are the Chair Dr Hohepa Mason and Manahautū (CEO) Leonie Simpson.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa supports tangata whenua to make the best decisions for their taonga, lands and waters in their rohe, and we are open to discussions with appropriate iwi entities on this matter.

Consequently, we will not be making any further public comment on Ōwairaka at this time.

END

Notes:

www.ngatiawa.iwi.nz

Ngāti Awa Claims Settlement Act 2005

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Act 2005

Kōtahi marama ki muri – One month after Whakaari

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Status: For immediate release

Date: 9 January 2020

Subject: Kōtahi marama ki muri – One month after Whakaari 

Waipuke ana te rere o roimata o Ngāti Awa, otirā ngā iwi o Mataatua, i ngā mate ohorere i Whakaari.

E tangi ana mātau ko ngā whānau o ō mātau uri, ko ngā whānau o ngā manuhiri o te rohe.

Ka tuku te marumaru, ngā roimata, me te awhi.

E inoi hoki ana kia whakarauora rātau i taotū i tēnei pāmamaetanga, me te inoi anō kia hoki mai te tokorua kua ngaro tonu.

E mihi ana a Ngāti Awa ki a rātau ngā toa i whakamōrea kia whakahoki ngā mōrehu, ngā mate hoki, i a Whakaari ki ngā ringa o ō rātau whānau.

One month has passed since the Whakaari tragedy, a day that will linger long in the memory of our iwi, our community and especially the friends and families of those who perished as a result of the calamity.

We continue to grieve with those who lost loved ones. Although there is little that can soothe such unfathomable pain, it is with heartfelt aroha and compassion we offer you our shelter, our tears and our embrace.

Our thoughts also remain with those who were injured so terribly in the eruption and pray that their wounds – both physical and emotional – will heal swiftly and completely, in the hope they will eventually return to the lives they enjoyed before the tragedy.

Ngāti Awa also wish to thank those who selflessly exhausted their time, resource and energy into the emergency response and recovery. From those who placed themselves at great risk to recover both the living and the deceased from Whakaari back into the arms of their whānau, to the medical professionals who worked around the clock saving lives and providing comfort to the injured, and to the countless agencies and individuals who stood in solidarity with Ngāti Awa and the wider Whakatāne community as we rallied to support the impacted and their families.

We remain focussed on the wellbeing of our manuhiri, our staff and especially the bereaved families, who continue to display immense strength and courage at this time despite being crippled with the debilitating hopelessness of loss.

Mā te Atua me te waahi ngaro tātau e tiaki e manaaki i ngā wā katoa.

END

For further information:
William Stewart
Mauriora Marketing and PR Ltd
(021) 220 8015

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa AGM 2018/2019

NAU MAI KI TE HUI Ā TAU 2019 O TE RŪNANGA O NGĀTI AWA

The 2019 Annual General Meeting for Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa will be held on 7 March 2020 at Tuteao Marae, 597A Te Teko Road, Te Teko 3192

AGENDA

9.00am            Pōhiri

9:30am            Morning Tea

10.00am          AGM opens

  • Chairman’s Welcome
  • Confirmation of previous AGM Minutes – 16 December 2018
  • Presentation and Adoption of Annual Report for 2018/2019
  • Presentation of draft Annual Plan 2020/2021
  • Report – Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited
  • Report – Ngāti Awa Asset Holdings Limited
  • Appointment of Auditor for 2020/21
  • Approval of Representatives’ remuneration for 2020/21
  • General Business

1.15pm            AGM closes

Copies of the Annual Report and draft Annual Plan will be available before the AGM for inspection by members at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Awa House, 4-10 Louvain St Whakatane and online at www.ngatiawa.iwi.nz

Ngāti Awa Rāhui on Whakatāne River

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Status: For immediate release

Date: 7 January 2020

Subject: Ngāti Awa Rāhui on Whakatāne River

Heke tonu atu ngā roimata o Ngāti Awa me Mataatua i ngā mate ohorere o te wā. E tangi ana mātau ko ngā whānau o ō mātau uri, ko ngā whānau o ngā manuhiri o te rohe.

Ngāti Awa tōhunga (spiritual leaders) and kaumātua have placed a rāhui (temporary ritual prohibition) over the Whakatāne river as a result of a drowning near the river mouth this afternoon.

Ngāti Awa kaumātua attended the scene with the deceased, the whānau pani (bereaved family), and the rāhui karakia (prayers) were held at 5pm today.

To respect the rāhui, people are asked not to gather seafood, catch fish, and undertake water activities in the Whakatāne river from Turuturu Roimata (Statue Rock near river mouth) to Taneatua until the rāhui is lifted at 5am, Friday 10 January.

Ngāti Awa tōhunga and kaumātua ask that the two-day rāhui is respected to acknowledge the tragic event, the deceased and the whānau pani.

Before undertaking activities on the Whakatāne River during the rāhui, Ngāti Awa tōhunga and kaumātua ask that people reflect on the absolute tragedy of losing a loved one so suddenly, the suffering of the whānau pani at this very difficult time, and the length of the rāhui.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa extend our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the whānau pani who are left grieving and heartbroken as a result of this afternoon’s tragic events.

Ngā manaakitanga o te waahi ngaro ki runga i a tātau katoa i tēnei wā pouri.

END
For further information:
William Stewart
Mauriora Marketing and PR Ltd
(021) 220 8015