New era in Lake Taupo management

Lake Taupo and Waikato River mouth. Photo/File

A special ceremony will today celebrate the landmark addition of Taupō Waters to the joint management agreement between Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board and Waikato Regional Council.

The addition will see the parties work closely together over the management of Taupō Waters, which includes Lake Taupō and the tributaries flowing into and out.

Previously the joint management agreement solely addressed the upper Waikato River catchment.

The council and board said they were pleased Taupō Waters were being included in the agreement.

"This milestone is a further step toward realising tino rangatiranga and mana motuhake over our taonga tuku iho," Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board chief executive Topia Rameka said.

Waikato Regional Council chief executive Vaughan Payne said the natural resources under the umbrella of Taupō Waters would benefit from the new co-management arrangement.

"We have seen the value of the inter-generational vision that Ngāti Tūwharetoa brings to the council's decision making, including their extensive experience and knowledge of freshwater resources, which are some of our region's most significant taonga."

The small ceremony by the joint management agreement committee is being held at Waikato Regional Council chambers at 11.45am.

The agreement sets out how the council and the trust board will work together when carrying out specific legislative duties and functions, including exercising powers under the Resource Management Act.

Waikato Regional Council and Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board have also agreed to develop a framework over the next 18 months. This framework will consider transfer of duties, functions and powers pursuant to section 33 of the Resource Management Act.

View the full joint management agreement here: