Thursday, 29 October 2020 08:54

Iwi to take over monitoring role

Written by  Staff Reporters
Specific water quality monitoring functions in Lake Taupo have been transferred to the Tuwharetoa Māori Trust Board. Specific water quality monitoring functions in Lake Taupo have been transferred to the Tuwharetoa Māori Trust Board.

A special ceremony was held in Taupo recently for the official signing of an agreement to transfer specific water quality monitoring functions to the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board.

At a meeting in July, Waikato regional councillors voted unanimously in favour of transferring summer bathing beach, regional rivers, rainfall and groundwater quality monitoring within the Lake Taupo catchment to the trust board.

It’s the first iwi authority in Aotearoa New Zealand to have functions transferred to them by a council.

Governance and senior officials from both the council and the trust board were at the singing on October 16, which saw the formal agreement signed by leaders.

Council chair Russ Rimmington described it as an important step forward in resource management for our nation, sending a strong signal that the time has come for more effective engagement between councils and iwi.

“The signing of this agreement is the start of something new, providing the opportunity for Ngāti Tūwharetoa to be directly involved in tracking the quality of these water bodies over time.” 

For Waikato Regional Council, it creates a more efficient method for delivering some monitoring functions, saving it more than $100,000 over a 10-year period.

Regional councillor Andrew MacPherson said at the event that the council had become more confident in working in partnership with iwi.

“Through the maturing of our relationship, we are no longer looking to just meet statutory requirements or minimums. We are seeking greater opportunities to work together, to partner on projects that are mutually beneficial to iwi and the council, and therefore the wider community,” MacPherson said.

Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board will only collect samples – not make decisions – and the data collected in undertaking sampling will remain in the ownership of Waikato Regional Council.

More like this

Farmers send clear message

A cacophany of sounds - barking dogs, the roar of tractors and tooting ute horns - descended on towns and cities around the country on Friday, July 16.

Māori berry venture has big plans

A Māori-owned and operated berryfruit company, Miro, aims to return $170 million annual income in eight years to its blueberry growers using state-of-the-art systems.

Featured

Farmer input needed to combat FE

Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on livestock farmers to take part in a survey measuring the financial impact of facial eczema (FE).

Editorial: Escaping Trump's wrath

OPINION: President Donald Trump's bizarre hard line approach to the world of what was once 'rules-based trade' has got New Zealand government officials, politicians and exporters on tenterhooks.

Wool pellets to boost gardens

With wool prices steadily declining and shearing costs on the rise, a Waikato couple began looking for a solution for wool from their 80ha farm.

National

Miraka CEO steps down

The chief executive of Taupo-based dairy company, Miraka – Karl Gradon - has stepped down from the role for personal…

Machinery & Products

Bigger but not numb

When you compare a RAM 1500 or Chevrolet Silverado to a Ford Ranger or a Toyota Hilux, you will understand…

Good just got great

Already well respected in the UTV sector for performance, reliability and a competitive price point, CFMOTO has upped the ante…

Nedap NZ launch

Livestock management tech company Nedap has launched Nedap New Zealand.

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

O Canada

OPINION: Donald Trump's focus on Canada is causing concern for the country’s dairy farmers.

Plant-based fad

OPINION: The fact that plant-based dairy is struggling to gain a market foothold isn’t deterring new entrants.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter