Let the Lake Punahau/Horowhenua regeneration go on says Muaūpoko Tribal Authority

The recent pandemic has given Rangi and Papa the chance to rest and we must not undo that by allowing exemptions to national bottom lines for nitrate toxicity for up to 10 years, said MTA.

Now is the chance to let the Lake Punahau/Horowhenua's regeneration continue says Muaūpoko Tribal Authority (MTA).

MTA is not impressed with the recent decision by the Ministry of the Environment to allow the land around Lake Punahau to be exempted from the "national bottom lines for nitrate toxicity for up to 10 years", MTA said in a statement this week.

The minister has deemed the catchment of Lake Punahau a specific vegetable growing area and the land users in that area will be allowed to meet the standard at a much lower rate because they provide fruit and vegetables to the nation and are unable to reach the new standards.

Minister David Parker has said the new standards would mean vegetable growing in Horowhenua needs to decrease by 40 per cent to reach those standards, so he is given the grower 10 years to measure up.

"We just want a sustainable solution for our taonga and the community. The world is going through transformational change exacerbated by Covid. That pandemic has given Rangi and Papa time to rest - so is this how we respond to their regeneration?" said Tim Tukapua, chairman of Muaūpoko Tribal Authority Inc, in the statement.

The minister on behalf of the Crown determined that he would delay, by a decade, the imposition of eight national bottom line pollution control measures to all of the waters of the Muaūpoko Iwi – including the bottom line for cynobacteria.

"Muaūpoko find this decision contradicts a previous Waitangi Tribunal report which urged the Crown to authentically and substantively engage with Muaūpoko and Lake Horowhenua Trust on a co-management process and work plan to protect Lake Horowhenua and our streams for future generations," said Tukapua.

Muaūpoko Tribal Authority Inc said it is the mandated representative organisation of Muaūpoko Iwi, whose people have primary interests in Horowhenua and in our taonga Punahau (Lake Horowhenua).

"Muaūpoko Tribal Authority (MTA) has engaged with the minister and officials from the Ministry for the Environment. Our last communication to them and the minister outlined our position, our views, and our expectations," said Di Rump, MTA chief executive officer.

"We continue to explore with the Crown implications of the NPS and how its environmental and hauora impact might be ameliorated. MTA is keeping all our options on the table in how the iwi might respond to the Crown's decision and policy. We are also in close contact with trustees of Lake Horowhenua Trust (LHT) who are also considering all options," she added.

"Lake Horowhenua is the largest dune lake in Aotearoa. There are six native fish species within the lake, including two species of eels. Muaūpoko fishery in the lake is protected by Section 18 of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal Act 1956.

"Due to historic neglect and modern day pollution, toxic cyanobacteria is regularly present in the lake. This is related to the large amounts of nutrients and sediment entering the lake combined with large amounts of sediment and nutrients already present in the lake."