Agenda of Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group

Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group

Membership

Chairperson	Leith Comer (Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi)
Deputy Chairperson	Pouroto Ngaropo (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa)
Tangata Whenua Members
One appointed representative each:
Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi	Tīpene Marr (Alternate)
Ngāti Mākino Iwi Authority	Awhi Awhimate Laurance Tamati (Alternate)
· Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa	Manu Glen (Alternate)
Ngāti Tūwharetoa (Bay of Plenty) Settlement Trust	Jim Schuster
Council Members
One appointed member each:
Bay of Plenty Regional Council	Chairman Doug Leeder Cr Malcolm Campbell (Alternate)
Kawerau District Council	Mayor Faylene Tunui Deputy Mayor Aaron Rangihika (Alternate)
Rotorua Lakes Council	Cr Gregg Brown Phill Thomass – Lakes Community Board (Alternate)
Whakatāne District Council	Mayor Victor Luca Deputy Mayor Lesley Immink (Alternate)
Quorum	Five members comprising: The Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson; and two Iwi members and two Council members.
Meeting frequency	Quarterly

Purpose

To support, co-ordinate and promote the integrated restoration of the mauri of the Tarawera Awa catchment.

Scope

The Strategy Group’s scope covers the geographical area of the Tarawera River catchment, including its tributaries within the catchment area, as shown further below on map OMCR-102-032.

The Strategy Group is deemed to be a co-governance joint committee of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council; and is a permanent committee and must not be discharged unless all appointing organisations agree to the discharge.

Role

The functions of the Strategy Group are to —

(a) develop a restoration strategy for the catchment, to be known as the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Document; and

(b) monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the Strategy Document; and

(d) seek funding for the restoration projects as required by the Strategy Document; and

(e) communicate with stakeholders and the wider community to explain how decisions made or activities affecting the catchment align, or could be aligned, with the common vision, objectives, and desired outcomes for the catchment; and

(f) establish 1 or more technical advisory groups as required, as outlined in section 134 [1]; and

(g) seek the advice of a technical advisory group or the relevant local government in support of restoration activities; and

(h) link stakeholders together so that activities that take place in the catchment, or that affect the mauri of the catchment, are compatible as far as possible with the common vision, objectives, and desired outcomes for the catchment; and

(i) provide a framework to assist central government agencies and local government so that they may have regard to the common vision, objectives, and desired outcomes for the catchment; and

(j) undertake any other function required to achieve the purpose of the Strategy Group.

Decision Making

The Strategy Group must make its decisions by vote at a meeting and strive to achieve consensus; and approach decision making in a manner that is consistent with, and reflects its purpose; and acknowledges, as appropriate, the interests of iwi in particular parts of the catchment.

The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson may vote on any matter, but do not have a casting vote.

Power to Act

Except as provided for in the purpose above, the Strategy Group has discretion to determine in any particular circumstances whether to perform any function specified and how, and to what extent, any function specified is performed.

Power to Recommend

To the partner organisations on any matters within the Strategy Group’s delegated role as it deems appropriate.

Strategy Group members report directly to their respective appointing organisations.

Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group 27 March 2024

Recommendations in reports are not to be construed as policy until adopted.

Rārangi Take
Agenda

1. Karakia Whakatuwhera
Opening Prayer

2. Ngā Hōnea
Apologies

3. Wāhanga Tūmatanui
Public Forum

4. Ngā Take Tōmuri
Items not on the Agenda

5. Raupapa o Ngā Take
Order of Business

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

7. Ngā Pūrongo
Reports

8.1 Chairperson's Report 4

Attachment 1 - Joint Submission of Co-Governance Iwi members to BOPRC LTP 2024-2034 4

Attachment 2 - Te Niaotanga o Mataatua o Te Arawa - BOPRC Draft LTP Submission 28 March 2024 (Public Excluded)

8. Ngā Take Tōmuri Hei Whakaaroaro
Consideration of Items not on the Agenda

9. Karakia Kati
Closing Prayer



Report To:	Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group
Meeting Date:	27 March 2024
Report Authoriser:	Leith Comer, Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group Chair

Chairperson's Report

Executive Summary

The report seeks endorsement from the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group of a joint submission, and letter of support of the Matatā Wastewater Project, for submitting to Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s (BOPRC) Long Term Plan 2024-2034.

Recommendations

That the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group:

1 Receives the report, Chairperson's Report;

2 Endorse the proposed joint submission (Attachment 1) of the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group and Rangitāiki River Forum iwi members to the BOPRC Long Term Plan 2024-2034 to be signed by the Co-Governance Chairs;

3 Endorse a letter of support of the Matatā Wastewater Project, to be prepared and signed by the Strategy Group Chair and attached to Te Nīaotanga ō Mataatua ō Te Arawa’s submission to the BOPRC Long Term Plan 2024-2034;

4 Agrees to the Chair making any necessary minor grammatical and formatting amendments to the joint submission and letter of support.

1. Purpose

As the Chair of the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group (TARSG), I wish to seek the TARSG’s endorsement of the attached joint submission prepared on behalf of Co-Governance iwi members, and preparation of a letter of support for
Te Nīaotanga ō Mataatua ō Te Arawa’s Matatā Wastewater Project submission, to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s (BOPRC) Long Term Plan 2024-2034.

The closing date for submissions to BOPRC’s Long Term Plan is Tuesday 9 April 2024, before the Strategy Group’s next meeting scheduled on 31 May 2024.

1.1 Joint Submission to the BOPRC Long Term Plan 2024-2034

The joint submission of the Co-Governance Chairs and iwi members of the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group (TARSG) and Rangitaiki River Forum (RRF) (refer Attachment 1) is to seek the continuation of financial support over the next three years for co-governance secretariat support for both co-governance committees within BOPRC’s Long Term Plan 2024-2034. The submission is provided for information (refer Attachment 2).

The submission provides information about the secretariat position’s establishment, purpose and role, financial outlay and future work plan.

1.2 Letter of support of the Matatā Wastewater Project

A letter of support is proposed to express the Strategy Group’s endorsement of
Te Niaotanga ō Mataatua ō Te Arawa’s Matatā Wastewater Project submission to BOPRC’s Long Term Plan 224-2034. The submission is provided for information (refer Attachment 2).

Key submission points that relate to the Matatā Wastewater Project align with the overarching aspiration of mauri restoration of Te Awa o te Atua and Tarawera Awa.

A letter of support from the Strategy Group would:

a) endorse the co-design intent of Te Niaotanga o Mataatua o Te Arawa, as it reflects a greater commitment to a Te Tiriti based approach to seeking improved solutions for the long-standing issue of Matatā wastewater management.

b) acknowledge the relationships of iwi who hold strong affiliations with Matatā and recognises the importance of ensuring social, cultural, health, economic, and environmental well-being are centered in decision-making.

c) advise a key aspiration of the Strategy Group is to ensure that the mauri of waters that stem from the source at the Tarawera Lake out to the sea, are improved and protected.

d) support the proposal of land-based application systems for treated wastewater, as a preferred option, which has been arrived at as an outcome of a comprehensive parameter setting workstream of the project, involving the participation of all members of the co-design group (i.e. Iwi, Whakatane District Council staff and councillors, and technical experts).

2. Financial Implications

Financial implications relating to the above matters will be a consideration for BOPRC’s decision making as part of its Long Term Plan 2024-2034 process.

Tuhinga Tautoko
Attachments

Attachment 1 - Joint Submission of Co-Governance Iwi members to BOPRC LTP 2024-2034 ⇩

Attachment 2 - Te Niaotanga o Mataatua o Te Arawa - BOPRC Draft LTP Submission 28 March 2024 ⇩(Public Excluded)^{^[2]}

[2] Refer Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group minute 27 March 2024 – a resolution was passed at the meeting to transfer Report Attachment 2 into the Public Excluded section. Accordingly, the Agenda has been amended and republished to remove it.