Te Rarawa has responded to criticism from Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones (Cash — and a message for iwi, February 20), saying it had approached the Far North District Council at least twice over the last five or six years in an effort to establish a new water source for Kaitaia, and had been rejected.
"The council has declined to join us on that, and instead established an alternative infrastructure involving private enterprise," iwi chairman Haami Piripi said.
"In situations like today, the user pays the price of this non-inclusion. We were willing investors, but council has not seen us as a suitable partner. We're at the point now that the council has to admit they are failing to come up with the infrastructure response it requires."
Mr Jones had accused the leadership of some iwi, including Te Rarawa and Ngāpuhi, of pursuing the issue of ownership of water at the expense of their communities, including their own people.
Mr Piripi said the issue of establishing a new water source for Kaitaia had been going on for years, however.