Te Arawa tells Government Treaty cash not for lakes

The Te Arawa iwi has told the Government it will not use Treaty settlement money to pay for the clean-up of Rotorua's polluted lakes.

Te Arawa Maori Trust Board chairman Anaru Rangiheuea yesterday said settlement money was intended for other purposes, namely the health, welfare and development of tribe members.

"It's for grievances Te Arawa has suffered from the various governments of the day."

He said the tribe was not responsible for damage done to the lakes, which had been in a pristine state when leased to the Crown in 1922.

Mr Rangiheuea made the comments after joining a delegation to Wellington last week to lobby the Government to become an official partner in a 10-year project to restore the lakes.

Cabinet ministers made no promise of funding for the Lakes Protection and Restoration Action Programme, but delegates emerged hopeful of a substantial commitment to the estimated $200 million needed for the clean-up.

Rotorua Mayor Kevin Winters said a draft memorandum of understanding had been presented to Finance Minister Michael Cullen, Environment Minister David Benson-Pope, and Land and Information Minister David Parker and received a positive response.

The memorandum had made it clear that funding was a part of any partnership arrangement, but did not spell out a specific amount.

Earlier this year, the parties involved in ridding the lakes of polluting nutrients and toxic algal blooms said the Government should contribute half the cost - or $100 million - and Mr Winters said that still stood.

A spokesman for Dr Cullen said the Government was "favourably disposed" to helping resolve the environmental problems afflicting the lakes.

"But it's early days yet and a lot of work needs to be done on costing the best way forward," the spokesman said.

Mr Benson-Pope said the Environment Ministry was talking with councils about the memorandum's wording. The current partners in the restoration programme are Rotorua District Council, Environment Bay of Plenty (the regional council), and Te Arawa Maori Trust Board.

Mr Winters said the memorandum clarified their roles, with the local council focused on sewerage and stormwater system upgrades, and the regional council on land use and water quality.

The trust board played a significant role as the soon-to-be owner of 13 of Rotorua's 14 lake beds under the controversial Te Arawa Lakes Settlement Bill which passed its first reading in May and has a second reading this month. It would settle all Te Arawa's historical claims to the lakes and rename the trust board the Te Arawa Lakes Trust.

Ownership of the lake beds would be vested in the new trust, while the Crown would retain ownership of the water column and airspace above.

The bill offers a formal apology to Te Arawa for Crown breaches of Treaty obligations and $2.7 million in recognition of economic losses suffered.

It also establishes the Rotorua Lakes Strategy Group, with representatives from the councils and new trust, to advise on sustainable management of the lakes.

Strong opposition to the bill was voiced within Te Arawa's iwi at a select committee hearing in June. Many said the bill allowed the Government to escape responsibility for cleaning up the lakes.