Park stalled as money row takes centre stage

By PHILIP ENGLISH

The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park took more than 10 years to create and it's now almost a year old - but people living on the gulf's shores could be forgiven for forgetting that it exists.

The park has effectively been in limbo because of a wrangle between the Hauraki Maori Trust Board and the Minister of Conservation, Sandra Lee, over money the trust says it needs to support its representatives on the Hauraki Gulf Forum.

The forum, administered by the Auckland Regional Council, has the statutory power to watch over the islands, waters and catchments of the gulf. But its achievements have been limited by the wrangle which has led to some Maori not attending meetings. The forum has met only three times in the past year.

The chairman of the forum, ARC chairman Philip Warren, did not agree it had been in limbo."You can't expect miracles out of three meetings ... But when one considers the speed at which certain things move at a central Government level and particularly in matters Maori, I suppose I cannot complain too much," said Mr Warren.He said a draft inventory of projects for the gulf, and priorities for the control of invasive weeds on gulf islands had been established, among other projects.

Mr Warren said a communications strategy for the forum had been agreed on and promotion of the marine park would begin this year. "The issue of funding of tangata whenua representatives - which is not resolved - is the only real worry I have. It is having implications for progress the forum can make, particularly on Maori issues.

"I am not madly enthusiastic about having meetings until all that is sorted out, but I am certainly not going to cancel any meetings ... whether or not tangata whenua turn up."

The forum's deputy chairman Ngati Wai representative, Laly Haddon, said it was time for the forum to move on.

"We have to move on because there is a lot of important work to be done."

Sandra Lee said complex negotiations with the Hauraki Maori Trust Board were continuing, and the forum should get on with its work and do more to promote the gulf's special qualities.

"I expect the forum to meet regularly. We have to work through the issue of the significant amount of money the Hauraki Maori Trust Board has requested.

"I know the trust board feels frustrated, but the sum of money they have asked for is significant."

Ms Lee said that in the meantime she was confident the public realised the importance of the gulf, even if many people were unaware of the marine park.

Legislation giving the gulf park status was passed a year ago, amid the hype of the America's Cup, but the change was not marked with official events.

The park idea gained support from city dwellers, and many fought hard for its creation. An opportunity to remind people living on its shores of the value of the gulf and the need to care for its waters and islands was lost.

For conservationists the successful outcome was something to celebrate, but the passing of the unique environmental legislation covering land, water and the seabed, was an anticlimax.

Its purposes - to enshrine the gulf as nationally significant and to protect and enhance the gulf's life-supporting capacity through integrated management while allowing existing uses to continue - remained vague.

Hauraki Labour MP John Tamihere left the House in protest when the act was passed, saying it breached the Treaty of Waitangi, and Hunua National MP, Warren Kyd, broke ranks to oppose the legislation.

But almost a year on, many sceptical of the need for the legislation say their fears have not been realised.

One concern suggested the legislation would require additional work for councils from Mangawhai Heads in the north to Matamata and Waihi in the south.

Under the legislation, councils considering consent applications for potentially contaminating discharges have to consider any impacts on the gulf.

The Mayor of the Thames-Coromandel District Council and forum member Chris Lux said the park legislation had not led to extra work or problems for his council.

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