Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu supports Environment Canterbury in its promotion of a local bill to Parliament.

The Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill, if passed, would permit Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu to appoint up to two members to the Regional Council.

“We look forward to the introduction of the bill to the House,” says Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Lisa Tumahai.

“This will mean the status quo of Ngāi Tahu having two appointees sitting on the Council will remain even after the Environment Canterbury (Transitional Governance Arrangements) Act 2016 expires in 2019,” says Ms Tumahai.

“Having the certainty that we can continue to appoint two Ngāi Tahu representatives to the Council means we can continue to build on our Treaty partnership with Environment Canterbury. Mana whenua representation over the past eight years has proved effective in key kaupapa that affects our land and our people including freshwater management. We absolutely want that to continue.”

“We are pleased that our representative, Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene, will shepherd the bill through Parliament.”

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu would continue to follow a robust and democratic process to appoint its two representatives, as it has always done.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu protects and advances the collective interests of the iwi. Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei - for us and our children after us.

A copy of the Bill is publicly available until 23 November 2018. The bill can be inspected at the Council’s offices at Christchurch, Kaikōura and Timaru and on the Council’s website: www.ecan.govt.nz.

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