‘Benefit Us All’: Iwi And Council Sign ‘Historic’ Partnership Deal

Thursday, 27 February 2025, 11:06 pm
Article: Moana Ellis - Local Democracy Reporter

February 26, 2025

Ngāti Hāua Iwi Trust and Ruapehu District Council are keeping confidential the details of a "historic" partnership agreement signed at a council meeting on Wednesday.

The agreement was signed by representatives of both parties at Ngāpūwaiwaha Marae in Taumarunui.

The council said the agreement provided a basis for developing the relationship between the council and Ngāti Hāua Iwi Trust.

It would promote and implement the purpose and principles of the Local Government Act.

The agreement also provided “parameters around participation” by Ngāti Hāua Iwi Trust in the council’s decision-making processes.

No details of what this means were made available. The partnership agreement was described as confidential and not included in papers made publicly available for the meeting.

Local Democracy Reporting has asked the council for a copy of the agreement.

On March 29, Ngāti Hāua will sign a deed of settlement with the Crown at Ngāpūwaiwaha Marae, following seven years of negotiations to settle claims against breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Iwi Trust chair Graham Bell said the iwi was brought together with the council by Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a joint focus on community wellbeing.

“We fully understand the powers that this council has pursuant to the Local Government Act 2002, [its] governing legislation.

“Our focus as Ngāti Hāua is to take care of our own, and our community as well.

“What we do economically, whatever we do socially, culturally and for te taiao, will benefit us all.”

Speaking before the signing, Bell said the partnership agreement had been developed over a couple of years.

“It is about transformation. Ngāti Hāua can do a lot now for the council, with the council.”

He said settlement redress would “not be touched”, but Ngāti Hāua would have the right following settlement to negotiate with government agencies for funding to support the iwi’s transformational strategy.

The signing of Te Pua o Te Riri Kore, the deed of settlement between the Crown and the iwi, would enable Ngāti Hāua to work with the Government under legislation.

“The bill will give us more powers and an opportunity to work together.

“Finally Ngāti Hāua will have teeth in the construct of the law,” Bell said.

“We will have a tiriti face-to-face with up to about 19 ministries of the Crown. The ministries will be compelled by legislation to work with us.

“We will have our time at the table.”

Ruapehu mayor Weston Kirton said signing the agreement was an historic event for the district, recognising the council’s commitment to iwi and sharing the values within the document.

“It is probably not perfect, it probably needs to be tweaked and there’s room for that.

“It’s a starting point – our leadership and your leadership gelling together for the same outcomes.

“We look forward with interest to how it evolves. We’re in it together and we appreciate that opportunity,” Kirton said.

In October, Ngāti Hāua and Horizons Regional Council signed a kawenata/partnership agreement formalising a mutual goal to develop a relationship of respect and partnership.

The agreement was made public at the council’s August meeting leading up to the signing.

Bell said at the time that agreements between iwi and councils were an important way of recognising that the two parties could come together in mutual engagement and trust.

“It represents a positive step in what we see as an enduring and mutually beneficial relationship."

Horizons Chair Rachel Keedwell said in November that the kawenata set out each party’s aspirations, and represented a written position for how they would work together to achieve those aspirations.

It identified the projects Ngāti Hāua and the council wanted to work on together.

“Memorandums of Partnership create a formal written base for us to advance our relationship. We see it as an excellent starting point for how Horizons, as a Crown party, can work with Ngāti Hāua to realise their aspirations and for how council can appropriately operate in the region,” Keedwell said.

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