Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group

Ngā Meneti

Open Minutes

Commencing:             Tuesday 29 August 2023, 9:30 AM

Venue:                         Firmin Lodge, Waterhouse Street, Kawerau

Heamana

Chairperson:               Leith Comer (Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust)

Ngā Kopounga

Members:                    Ngāti Mākino Iwi Authority:

                                    Awhi Awhimate

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana (BOPRC):

Cr Malcolm Campbell (Alternate)

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa:

Manu Glen (Alternate)

Whakatāne District Council (WDC):

Mayor Victor Luca, Deputy Mayor Lesley Immink (Alternate)

Kawerau District Council:

Mayor Faylene Tunui, Deputy Mayor Aaron Rangihika (Alternate)

Ngāti Tūwharetoa (BOP) Settlement Trust:

Jim Schuster

Rotorua Lakes Council:

Phill Thomass  - Lakes Community Board Chair (Alternate)

Te Hunga i Tae Ake

In Attendance:            BOPRC: Chris Ingle – General Manager Integrated Catchments, Stephen Lamb – Environmental Strategy Manager, Gemma Moleta – Senior Planner (Water Policy), Kendall Smith – Land Management Officer, Herewini Simpson – Kaihautu (Te Amorangi Lead), Rawiri Bhana – Senior Advisor (Treaty), Gina Mohi – Pūtaiao Mātauranga, Kerry Brown – Kaitohutohu Taiao Matua (Senior Advisor), Shari Kameta – Committee Advisor

                                                      Kawerau District Council: Russell George – Chief Executive, Kaumātua Te Haukakawa Te Rire

                                                      Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi: Frances Teinakore-Curtis – Environmental Manager, Chris Clarke – Environmental Officer

                                                      Tūānuku Ltd: Keri Topperwien - Co-Director/Consultant Plan Writer

                                                      Parearau Ltd: Jane Waldon - Co-Governance Secretariat

Ngā Hōnea

Apologies:                  Cr Gregg Brown (Rotorua Lakes Council)

Chairman Doug Leeder (Bay of Plenty Regional Council)

Pouroto Ngaropo (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa)

Tiipene Marr (Alternate, Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust)

Laurance Tamati (Alternate, Ngāti Mākino Iwi Authority)

 

1.     Karakia Whakatuwhera
Opening Karakia

A karakia was provided by Kaumātua Te Haukakawa Te Rire.

2.     Ngā Hōnea
Apologies

Resolved

That the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group:

1          Accepts the apologies from Cr Gregg Brown, Chairman Doug Leeder, Tiipene Marr, Pouroto Ngaropo and Laurance Tamati for absence tendered at the meeting.

Campbell/Tunui

CARRIED

3.     Whakapuakanga o Ngā Take Whai Taha-Rua
Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

4.     Ngā Meneti
Minutes

Kia Whakaūngia Ngā Meneti
Minutes to be Confirmed

4.1

Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group Minutes - 23 May 2023

 

Resolved

That the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group:

1          Confirms the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group Minutes - 23 May 2023 as a true and correct record.

Tunui/Awhimate

CARRIED

5.     Ngā Pūrongo
Reports

Hei Pānui Anake
Information Only

5.1

Essential Freshwater Policy Programme Update

Presentation - Essential Freshwater Policy Programme Update: Objective ID A4473464  

Presented by:   Stephen Lamb – Environmental Strategy Manager
Gemma Moleta – Senior Planner (Water Policy)

Key Points:

·       Recapped the interface and challenges of respecting the two processes for developing the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy and National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM)

·       While the legislative obligation required the proposed plan change to be notified in December 2024, draft would occur earlier than this date

·       BOPRC was implementing a ‘portals’ approach to ensure tangata whenua information that became available over time could be used within resource management processes

·       Visions and values were required for each Freshwater Management Unit (FMU). The Aspirations document would be a significant contributor to this part of the process, and connections with the Strategy Group and Iwi collective would be helpful and welcomed.

9:40 am – Jim Schuster entered the meeting.

·       Summarised ongoing engagement and feedback received from community

·       Outlined how BOPRC was supporting Kaupapa Māori within freshwater management, such as providing greater attention and emphasis on cultural values and a commitment to future plan changes.

In Response to Questions:

·       BOPRC had used existing landowner, consent holder, Iwi/hapū/marae and kaitiaki contacts to engage, but anticipated further momentum would build as engagement and the plan change developed and progressed

·       Despite some iwi or post-settlement government entities having the mandate to represent the views of their iwi/hapū/marae/whānau, the NPS-FM directed regional councils to engage with any tangata whenua who wished to be involved

·       Ministry for the Environment had not provided specific guidance on aligning the two legislative processes other than to work with iwi and co-governance committees

·       Considered that the freshwater commissioners would determine how any differences would be worked through however, the preference was to work through any issues prior to that process

·       Would provide Strategy Group members with the Participate website link and engagement responses when they became available and welcomed any feedback or comments at the same time.

 

Resolved

That the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group:

1          Receives the report, Essential Freshwater Policy Programme Update.

Thomass/Tunui

CARRIED

 

5.2

Smith Road Old Rangitāiki Channel Crossing Upgrade

Presentation - Smith Road Old Rangitaiki Crossing Upgrade: Objective ID A4473470  

Presented by:  Chris Ingle – General Manager Integrated Catchments

                           Kendall Smith – Land Management Officer

Key Points:

·       BOPRC and WDC were working to upgrade the Smith Road - Old Rangitāiki Channel (ORC) crossing

·       An 8-metre span, single lane bridge was the preferred solution

·       The upgrade would improve tidal flushing, ecological conditions, river scheme/flood resilience and support any potential future plans to restore part of the traditional canal network and/or to reconnect the Tarawera and Rangitāiki rivers

·       A flap gate and two box culverts would be installed to reconnect a wetland and pond to the ORC and some restoration planting had been completed with further planting planned

·       Welcomed the involvement of Strategy Group partners, noting the involvement already from Ngāti Rangitihi environmental management staff.

In Response to Questions:

·       Monitoring data (refer PowerPoint presentation) carried out in March-April 2021 took place during preliminary investigations, with fluctuations primarily depicting tidal flow

·       BOPRC had not looked at restoring the connection to Te Awa o te Atua at this point in time

·       Early investigations into reconnecting the ORC with the Rangitāiki River had identified that flows would need to be controlled, so as not to adversely impact property owners along the channel. It was also noted that the proposal had not been supported by one of the landowners.

Key Points - Members:

·       Provided context of Ngāti Mākino’s cultural connection to Tarawera Awa that remained with Te Awa o te Atua at Matatā, which had been severed and currently did not exist

·       Acknowledged the benefits that the upgrade would provide and challenges in regard to future potential reconnection between the ORC and Rangitāiki River.

 

Resolved

That the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group:

1          Receives the report, Smith Road Old Rangitāiki Channel Crossing Upgrade.

Campbell/Awhimate

CARRIED

5.3

Update from the Rangitāiki-Tarawera Rivers Scheme Advisory Group

Presented by: Chris Ingle – General Manager Integrated Catchments

Key Points:

·       Provided background on the Rangitāiki-Tarawera River Scheme Advisory Group as a non-decision making group

·       Co-Governance Chairs were welcome to attend the River Scheme Advisory Group (bi-annual) meetings to be kept informed and provide a conduit between the groups.

In Response to Questions:

·       BOPRC anticipated a review and refresh of the advisory group membership in November 2023.

·       Noted that the old Rangitāiki River channel was managed by the Rangitāiki-Tarawera River Scheme.

Key Points - Members:

·       Noted there would be benefit in the Strategy Group Chair attending the River Scheme Advisory Group meetings as a conduit and to be kept informed of discussion.

 

Resolved

That the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group:

1          Receives the report, Update from the Rangitaiki-Tarawera Rivers Scheme Advisory Group.

Campbell/Awhimate

CARRIED

6.     Karakia Kati
Closing Karakia

A karakia was provided by Kaumātua Te Haukakawa Te Rire.

10:27 am – the meeting closed.

 

 

Confirmed 7 November 2023                                                                                                       

                                                                                                                                            Leith Comer

Chairperson, Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group