Kaitāia Airport’s future secured with iwi and council agreement

NgāiTakoto confirmed they will purchase Kaitāia Airport in line with their Treaty settlement provisions, following a ceremony marking the entering of a long-term lease for Kaitāia Airport.

• Kaitāia Airport’s future is secured through an agreement between the Government, iwi, and the Far North District Council.
• NgāiTakoto will purchase the airport, holding the land in trust with Ngāti Kahu hapū.
• The Government has contracted $5.4 million for maintenance and upgrades to ensure continued operations.

Collaboration between the Government, iwi and the Far North District Council has secured the future of Kaitāia Airport – the country’s northernmost air hub.

Today the pathway for Kaitāia Airport to return to NgāiTakoto and Ngāti Kahu hapū was cleared, with Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka joining iwi and the council at a ceremony.

It marked the entering of a long-term lease for the airport between iwi and the council (to take effect once title transfers), and the Government contracting $5.4 million with the council for maintenance and upgrade work.

With these arrangements now in place, NgāiTakoto confirmed they will purchase Kaitāia Airport in line with their Treaty settlement provisions.

NgāiTakoto also confirmed the land will be held in a joint trust with Ngāti Kahu hapū – Patukoraha, Ngāi Tohianga and Te Paatu – who also hold strong interests in the land.

“Kaitāia Airport is a vital regional asset providing important services for the whole community including regional air ambulance flights and an alternative to State Highway 10. It is also used as a civil defence base,” Potaka says.

Māori Crown Relations Minister Tama Potaka joined iwi and council at a ceremony marking the entering of a long-term lease for Kaitāia Airport.

“I know it’s been a challenging journey to reach this agreement ensuring future operation of the airport and I’d like to thank the iwi and hapū for their ongoing commitment to reaching a resolution.

“I hope today is a relief for many people to know that issues relating to ownership and degradation of the airport facilities are being addressed.

“With a long-term lease for Kaitāia Airport able to be agreed with the Far North District Council, and the Government committing to investing in urgent maintenance and upgrades work, we have been able to safeguard the continued operation of Kaitāia Airport.

“The airport land was offered to NgāiTakoto as part of their Treaty settlement in 2012 on the condition that airport operations would continue,” Potaka says.

“With the future of the airport secured, a pathway has now cleared for NgāiTakoto to purchase the land, which will occur in the immediate future.”