Regional councils have statutory obligations to involve iwi and hapū in managing freshwater resources. Photo / Paul Taylor
Regional councils have statutory obligations to involve iwi and hapū in managing freshwater resources. Photo / Paul Taylor
Regional councils must focus on building meaningful and enduring relationships with iwi and hapū to support better freshwater management, the Auditor-General says in a new report.
“Freshwater is one of New Zealand’s most important natural resources and the quality of our freshwater environment affects the lives of all New Zealanders,” says Auditor-General John Ryan.
“Improving how we manage freshwater quality is important work. It is particularly important for regional councils, who are responsible for managing freshwater quality in their regions.”
Regional councils have statutory obligations to involve iwi and hapū in managing freshwater resources through the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management, the Resource Management Act 1991, Treaty settlements and other legislation. Many iwi also exercise kaitiakitanga over freshwater in their rohe.
Auditor-General John Ryan says regional councils need meaningful relationships with iwi and hapū. Photo / Mark Mitchell
“Regional councils need meaningful relationships with iwi and hapū because of the deep cultural and traditional connections that tangata whenua have with water bodies and water,” says Ryan.
“These relationships can help regional councils better understand the values and aspirations iwi and hapū have for freshwater management.
“Building meaningful relationships that endure will require councils to take a more strategic approach.
“Working with iwi and hapū in this way should be a core capability for councils as it is critical to effective freshwater management, good environmental planning, and a range of other responsibilities regional councils have.”
Auditor-General John Ryan has released his report on freshwater management. Photo / NZME
The report looks at progress on a recommendation the Auditor-General made in 2019, and considers how well four regional councils — Waikato, Taranaki, Horizons, and Environment Southland — work with iwi and hapū in their regions to manage freshwater quality.
The report found all four councils have improved their approach to working with iwi and hapū.
However, the Auditor-General’s staff also heard from iwi and hapū representatives that they want more enduring and meaningful relationships with regional councils.
“Enduring and meaningful relationships between councils, iwi, and hapū underpin good freshwater management,” the Auditor-General says.
“These relationships can also provide mutual benefits and opportunities in other parts of councils’ work.
“We heard how strong relationships can benefit work on decision-making for resource consent applications and consulting on regional plan updates. Mutually beneficial relationships can also help to address long-term issues in managing freshwater, such as workforce capacity issues.
The Auditor-General will continue to have an interest in how regional councils are working to build meaningful and enduring relationships with iwi and hapū in their regions.
