Te Arawa partnership proposal to go out for public consultation

Former Te Arawa Standing Committee member Arapeta Tahana explains the iwi's partnership proposal to a packed Rotorua Lakes Council Chamber Photo/Ben Fraser

A decision by Rotorua Lakes Council to support in principle an iwi partnership model that would include two Te Arawa representatives on its key standing committees, is both an historic commitment to a genuine partnership with iwi, and a pragmatic acknowledgment that the wider community should have a say, says Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick.

Today's council meeting voted to support, in principle, a Te Arawa proposal that would see the establishment of an iwi board sitting outside of the council structure to replace the council's former Te Arawa Standing Committee.

Members of the public leave the council chambers after last nights meeting Photo/Ben Fraser

Councillors voted 10 votes to three to go ahead with the public consultation process.

The new Te Arawa board would appoint two representatives, with voting rights, to sit on the council's Operations and Monitoring Committee and on its Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee, one member on the Chief Executive Performance Committee and a representative on RMA hearings panels.

However, the council decided to make their support subject to a special consultative process next year.

"Today we've taken a momentous step forward in acknowledging the significant contribution Te Arawa has made to the development of Rotorua. But more importantly, this step also acknowledges the vital role tangata whenua can play alongside the council in building a better future for our district," Mrs Chadwick said.

Councillor Glenys Searancke gets her point across at yesterday's council meeting while councillors Mike McVicker (foreground) and Charles Sturt look on. Photo/Ben Fraser

"I'm very proud of the way our Te Arawa community has come together to present a compelling and well-developed proposal to share our journey. They have acted with exceptional dignity and have remained calm and reasoned throughout that process.

"And I'm immensely proud that as a council we've shown that we're mature enough to have a robust debate and make a bold decision despite the complexities and challenges that come with it. I've been very conscious from day one that this was always going to be a test of our leadership.

"However, the long history of Rotorua, more than in any other place in New Zealand, shows that we have nothing to fear from working hand-in-hand with tangata whenua. In fact the opportunities from doing so are unlimited and very exciting.

"It also helps provide a meaningful mechanism for Maori to contribute to council decision-making, a critical legal obligation which the council has under the Local Government Act.

"Today our council has demonstrated a real commitment to the aspiration of inclusion set out on our district crest. We've shown we're absolutely committed to the principle of 'T?tau t?tau - we together,' and Rotorua's future is looking brighter as a result," said Mrs Chadwick. "I look forward to hearing our wider community's views when we consult publicly on this proposal next year."

- for a full report on today's meeting, read tomorrow's Rotorua Daily Post.