Te Aho calls out Waka Kotahi for ‘arrogant approach’

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Te Aitanga a Mahaki lead negotiator Willie Te Aho has condemned what he calls an “arrogant approach” by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and its major contractors within the eastern tribe’s rohe.

Te Aho, who also represents Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, said he had reiterated to Waka Kotahi that the transport agency’s model of procurement in Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki was flawed.

”Our right to self-determination is key here. These roads that need to be repaired run right through our iwi, but we are left outside looking in”.

His comments come after Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson visited Gisborne to sign the East Coast Recovery Alliance deal that will see Waka Kotahi and KiwiRail work with contracting organisations Fulton Hogan, Downer and Higgins to manage, design and do physical works in the rebuild of state highways and the rail network across Te Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay.

Te Aho says building an enduring road network “must be a part of our economic recovery that we lead”, and believes iwi should be included in all levels of solution-making, “not just on the lollipop signs, but real decision-making”.

“We saw what Te Rangimatanuku Parata and his team did when Gabrielle smashed Tokomaru Bay and Uawa. They built a brand-new road themselves to allow those whānau to get to Gisborne and buy food, equipment and petrol.

“So it’s been shown that iwi can and should lead programmes that are directly relevant to us.”

While many of the workers who will be working on the rebuilds will be locals with whakapapa to the whenua they’re working on, Te Aho says that isn’t good enough.

“The problem is that those companies are run by Pākehā. Pākehā will be the ones making decisions on and in regions that are Māori. We will never agree to that. We should run our own kaupapa.

“We will never give up our rights to make decisions about us to others. If we did that, we would just be giving away our mana at home.”

Te Aho met Robertson today to discuss his concerns. He says the minister appreciated the iwi position.

“Robertson said local iwi should be working with councils and their contractors to help whānau and communities across the East Coast. We agree completely, but the problem is in this instance, NZTA has decided to contract big Pākehā-owned companies to work in our rohe.” — NZ Herald

Teaomaori.news has approached Waka Kotahi for comment. No comment has been received so far.