Latest news with #WaitākereRangesHeritageAreaAct
1News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- 1News
Iwi boss accuses MPs of 'scaremongering' with Waitākere Ranges claims
NZ First and ACT MPs Shane Jones and David Seymour need to "learn to read", the chief executive of a West Auckland iwi says, after they criticised a proposal by Auckland Council to work more closely with the iwi as "co-governance". Edward Ashby said the central government MPs were up to "mischief", spreading "misinformation" and "scaremongering". Jones and Seymour are concerned about the potential for iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki to be part of a committee overseeing the Waitākere Ranges, but Auckland councillor Richard Hill said the proposal simply progresses something that was agreed to 17 years ago. In 2008, the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act recognised the area as nationally significant and specified it needed to be protected. It also said it would progress a Deed of Acknowledgement that the Auckland Council, the Crown and the nominated iwi would enter into. Now the council is moving forward to create that deed, with consultation on the proposal closing yesterday. Auckland councillor Richard Hills explained the deed would "in practice" acknowledge the relationship and interest a range of parties have in the Waitākere Ranges. That could be to "invest in it, do trapping, do planting, do pest control, enable more recreation and protection of the ranges into the future". "This was asked for unanimously by the local boards and also unanimously by the Auckland Council." Part of the proposal is to establish a joint committee under the Local Government Act with equal representation from Auckland Council, the Crown and tangata whenua - in this case Te Kawerau ā Maki. NZ First MP Shane Jones has condemned the idea, saying his party will never agree to an iwi having "50% sovereignty over the Waitakere forest". "We campaigned, we negotiated, and we agreed, in our coalition agreement, there would be no more co-sovereignty, no more co-governance of these public service-orientated outcomes." He said the moment you have a "50/50 committee set up as part of the Supercity", it will "morph in no time whatsoever into shared sovereignty over the Waitākere". "What about the trampers? What about the runners? What about the walkers? That is an asset that primarily must serve all the interests and all the needs of Auckland." Coalition partner and Epsom electorate MP David Seymour agreed, saying the Waitākere Ranges is a "very special area to many Aucklanders". "The idea it should be governed half by people whose ancestors arrived 800 years ago, and half by people whose ancestors arrived more recently, is an anathema to the Kiwi spirit." He was also concerned about decisions being made to close tracks, saying those needed to be made "according to the best science". "And the people with the best science are the people who have the skills, experience and qualifications to make the decision. "Being born Māori, while a wonderful thing to be proud of, is not actually a scientific qualification." Chief executive of Te Kawerau ā Maki Edward Ashby suggested the MPs "learn to read" because "that's not what the information out there says". Ashby pointed out it had taken 17 years to act on what the legislation had promised, "which is a deed to be progressed". That was all the iwi was doing, he said. He explained the deed would do two things, "acknowledges our association" and "identifies opportunities for us to contribute to the management of the public land". "And so one of the ways we wanted to do that was basically set up a forum or a table for us and the Crown and Council to talk." He said that it would be a "non-statutory" body, and would be used to coordinate a plan for the area. Ashby maintained the proposal was not co-governance and said the MPs were up to "mischief". "I think it's scaremongering. I think it's misinformation. It's obviously on trend for some members of this Government, and politics in general, at the moment, to beat up on iwi." He said he thought Te Kawerau ā Maki were being used as a "political football', and the idea that the proposal was co-governance was "misinformation". "If it was co-governance, there would be land in a different structure, a different entity, there'd be decision making over money and things like that. And none of those things are on the table. "Land isn't changing title. Money isn't changing hands. "Power isn't being taken away from anyone." He explained the council would still make final decisions over land it manages, as would the Department of Conservation, as would Te Kawerau ā Maki. He said the idea that there'll be "Kawerau police" telling people what they can and can't do on the property was an "absolute fairytale". Councillor Hills echoed this, saying "there's no change of ownership or change of decision making," and that it was simply about "doing what we're already doing in disparate ways", but bringing local boards, council, mana whenua together to "improve the future of the Waitākere Ranges and ensure the investment is going in the right places". He said this is "nothing like" the co-governance the government approved a couple of months ago for Taranaki. Seymour acknowledged it was ultimately a decision for the local council, and said that is why ACT plans to stand candidates in the local body elections for the first time. "The legislation in question is actually a local bill, which is quite difficult for Parliament to change without the local council asking for it to happen. "Hence, we're standing local candidates so precisely that can happen." Jones said he would be taking the issue to caucus, and he will be taking it up with the Minister of Conservation, Tama Potaka. RNZ approached the minister for comment, but he declined because it is a local government issue. By Lillian Hanly of
Scoop
29-04-2025
- General
- Scoop
Collaborative Approach To Protect Waitakere Ranges Nothing To Fear
Te Kawerau ā Maki, the iwi of the Waitakere Ranges, says a proposal for Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland Council (Council) to work more closely with the iwi to protect the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area is focused on preserving the Ranges for everyone and is nothing to fear. Adopted in 2008, the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act recognises the national, regional, and local significance of the Waitakere Ranges heritage area and promotes the protection and enhancement of its heritage features for present and future generations. Section 29 of the Act also sets out that a Deed of acknowledgement must identify any specific opportunities for contribution by tangata whenua to the management of the land by the Crown or the Council, and Te Kawerau ā Maki CEO Edward Ashby says progress on this has been a long time coming. 'Every year for 17 years we have asked for our Deed to progress and every year we have been left waiting,' says Te Kawerau ā Maki CEO Edward Ashby. 'Our aim is not to lock the public out of having any sort of say but to enact what is provided for in law. That is, the collaboration of mandated parties to come up with a plan together and coordinate efforts to protect and enhance all the heritage features of the Ranges including natural and community outcomes,' Mr Ashby says the legislation is largely forgotten and unimplemented with management happening in uncoordinated silos and fear mongering comments that Te Kawerau ā Maki is trying to take control over the whenua is a distraction from the real issue of protecting this taonga. 'This must be one of the only nationally significant places on earth without a plan,' says Mr Ashby. 'We want the area to thrive – to protect threatened species and increase their numbers, to protect our dark skies and landscape qualities, to have better quality recreation for Aucklanders who run, tramp and walk through the Ranges, and for the people that live there – all of us – to have strong communities. We can only do this if we work together.' Mr Ashby says Te Kawerau ā Maki Deed of Settlement promised a new relationship with the Crown based on mutual respect and cooperation but a generation of Te Kawerau ā Maki people are growing up on the broken promise of the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act. 'The Crown is at risk of repeating history. It was the Crown that purchased land without consultation or investigation of customary rights. It was the Crown that failed to apply the regulations it had established to protect Mâori and it was the Crown's actions that led to Te Kawerau ā Maki being virtually landless with no marae of urupā of our own'. Mr Ashby says the Auckland Council had voted unanimously to support the Deed progressing in principle, which included four identified opportunities for it to work together—but now several councillors are backtracking on that decision. 'Our culture, our indigeneity, and our legal rights have been framed as a threat but we must emphasise that decision making powers about the Waitākere Ranges remain with their respective entities: the Council and the Department of Conservation will continue to make final decisions over land where it is custodian as will Te Kawerau ā Maki. This is simply about us working together.' Te Kawerau ā Maki are a West Auckland-based iwi, with the tribal heartland of the iwi being Hikurangi and Ngā Rau Pou ā Maki (Waitākere Ranges). Te Kawerau ā Maki are represented by Te Kawerau Iwi Settlement Trust, which is the post-settlement governance entity established and mandated through the Te Kawerau ā Maki Claims Settlement Act to represent the iwi and to administer Treaty settlement assets. Today our iwi is in the process of rebuilding our political, social, cultural, environmental, and economic well being. This includes our visible presence at the Arataki Centre, the Henderson Civic Building, and our planned marae at Te Henga and Te Onekiritea (Hobsonville).
RNZ News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Auckland iwi boss accuses NZ First, ACT MPs of 'scaremongering' with Waitākere Ranges claims
(File) Te Kawerau ā Maki chief executive Edward Ashby. Photo: supplied NZ First and ACT MPs Shane Jones and David Seymour need to "learn to read", the chief executive of a West Auckland iwi says, after they criticised a proposal by Auckland Council to work more closely with the iwi as "co-governance". Edward Ashby said the central government MPs were up to "mischief", spreading "misinformation" and "scaremongering". Jones and Seymour are concerned about the potential for iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki to be part of a committee overseeing the Waitākere Ranges, but Auckland Councillor Richard Hill said the proposal simply progresses something that was agreed to 17 years ago. In 2008, the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act recognised the area as nationally significant, and specified it needed to be protected. It also said it would progress a Deed of Acknowledgement that the Auckland Council, the Crown and the nominated iwi would enter into. Now the council is moving forward to create that deed, with consultation on the proposal closing yesterday. Auckland councillor Richard Hills explained the deed would "in practice" acknowledge the relationship and interest a range of parties have in the Waitākere Ranges. That could be to "invest in it, do trapping, do planting, do pest control, enable more recreation and protection of the ranges into the future". "This was asked for unanimously by the local boards and also unanimously by the Auckland Council." Part of the proposal is to establish a joint committee under the Local Government Act with equal representation from Auckland Council, the Crown and tangata whenua - in this case Te Kawerau ā Maki. NZ First MP Shane Jones has condemned the idea, saying his party will never agree to an iwi having "50 percent sovereignty over the Waitakere forest". "We campaigned, we negotiated, and we agreed, in our coalition agreement, there would be no more co-sovereignty, no more co-governance of these public service orientated outcomes." He said the moment you have a "50/50 committee set up as part of the SuperCity" it will "morph in no time whatsover into shared sovereignty over the Waitākere". "What about the trampers? What about the runners? What about the walkers? That is an asset that primarily must serve all the interests and all the needs of Auckland." The Waitakere Ranges at Karekare Beach Photo: 123rf Coalition partner and Epsom electorate MP David Seymour agreed, saying the Waitākere Ranges is a "very special area to many Aucklanders". "The idea it should be governed half by people whose ancestors arrived 800 years ago, and half by people whose ancestors arrived more recently, is an anathema to the Kiwi spirit." He was also concerned about decisions being made to close tracks, saying those needed to be made "according to the best science". "And the people with the best science are the people who have the skills, experience and qualifications to make the decision. "Being born Māori, while a wonderful thing to be proud of, is not actually a scientific qualification." CEO of Te Kawerau ā Maki Edward Ashby suggested the MPs "learn to read" because "that's not what the information out there says". Ashby pointed out it had taken 17 years to act on what the legislation had promised, "which is a deed to be progressed". That was all the iwi was doing, he said. He explained the deed would do two things, "acknowledges our association" and "identifies opportunities for us to contribute to the management of the public land". "And so one of the ways we wanted to do that was basically set up a forum or a table for us and the Crown and Council to talk." He said that would be a "non-statutory" body, and would be used to coordinate a plan for the area. Ashby maintained the proposal was not co-governance and said the MPs were up to "mischief". "I think it's scaremongering. I think it's misinformation. "It's obviously on trend for some members of this government, and politics in general, at the moment, to beat up on iwi." He said he thought Te Kawerau ā Maki were being used as a "political football', and the idea that the proposal was co-governance was "misinformation". "If it was co governance, there would be land in a different structure, a different entity, there'd be decision making over money and things like that. And none of those things are on the table. "Land isn't changing title. Money isn't changing hands. Power isn't being taken away from anyone." He explained the council would still make final decisions over land it manages, as would the Department of Conservation, as would Te Kawerau ā Maki. He said the idea that there'll be "Kawerau police" telling people what they can and can't do on the property was an "absolute fairytale". Councillor Hills echoed this, saying "there's no change of ownership or change of decision making," and that it was simply about "doing what we're already doing in disparate ways", but bringing local boards, council, mana whenua together to "improve the future of the Waitākere Ranges and ensure the investment is going in the right places". He said this is "nothing like" the co-governance the government approved a couple of months ago for Taranaki. Seymour acknowledged it was ultimately a decision for the local council, and said that is why ACT plans to stand candidates in the local body elections for the first time. "The legislation in question is actually a local bill, which is quite difficult for Parliament to change without the local council asking for it to happen. "Hence, we're standing local candidates so precisely that can happen." Jones said he wouls be taking the issue to caucus, and he will be taking it up with the Minister of Conservation - Tama Potaka. RNZ approached the minister for comment but he declined because it is a local government issue. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Waitākere Ranges Co-Governance: Better Councillors Needed To Protect Democracy
Press Release – ACT New Zealand Auckland Council's plan to set up a co-governed committee to manage the Waitākere Ranges shows why Kiwis need councillors who believe in democracy, says ACT Leader David Seymour. 'The Waitākere Ranges belong to all Aucklanders, and should be managed democratically. But Auckland Council's plan would see unelected decision-makers closing tracks and dictating land use in the surrounding rural areas. 'The ranges are governed under the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act. That is a local act, which means any change to the legislation, such as a prohibition on co-governance arrangements, has to come from the elected council. 'We've seen the same problem with the Ngāi Tahu Representation Act, where the Minister for Local Government has had to go cap-in-hand to a left-wing regional council asking them to repeal co-governance. The council (Environment Canterbury) declined. 'The Coalition is rolling back co-governance of public services. But when it comes to local co-governance, local action is needed. 'This is exactly why ACT is standing candidates in council elections, not just in Auckland, but across the country. ACT councillors will fight for democracy, equal rights, and accountable government. That means ensuring beloved public spaces are governed by people directly accountable to ratepayers.'
NZ Herald
28-04-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Shane Jones, David Seymour reject Waitākere Ranges ‘co-governance' plan
The council says the deed of acknowledgement is in line with the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Act 2008, and denies the proposal would amount to co-governance. Jones said the act's wording clearly states that tangata whenua should be consulted, 'but there it stops'. 'A deed of acknowledgement doesn't need a committee structure. It can just tick a few boxes, saying, 'Yes, there are some historical associations, there are some midden heaps, some hangi pits'. 'But the native flora and fauna are a thing of beauty and were originally purchased for the entirety of Auckland. 'We will not agree with any deed of acknowledgement that represents an ideological mustard seed that will morph into a template for co-governance,' he said. Act leader David Seymour is also opposed to plans for a co-governed committee, saying the Waitākeres belonged to all Aucklanders and should be managed democratically. 'Auckland Council's plan would see unelected decision-makers closing tracks and dictating land use in the surrounding rural areas,' he said. Seymour said the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act is a local act, which means any change to the legislation, such as a prohibition on co-governance arrangements, has to come from the elected council. Jones said the Department of Conservation would be the Crown's representative on the committee, and he would be raising the matter with Conservation Minister Tama Potaka. The matter would also be discussed at next week's NZ First caucus to bring a Private Members Bill. 'Watch this space,' Jones said. In response to NZ First and Act's comments, the council's planning committee chairman, Richard Hills, said the Waitākere Heritage Act was clear about the need to enter a deed of acknowledgement with the listed iwi. The local boards and council unanimously supported that direction, he said. 'The deed of acknowledgement is not co-governance. I'm not sure why NZ First and ACT would say that. They should know what co-governance actually is, as they just voted to set up a collective of iwi and Crown to co-manage Taranaki Maunga and the national park there only a few months ago.' Hills said the Waitākere deed did 'nothing of the sort'. 'Land ownership and decision-making for the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park stays with council, local boards, and DOC.' On social media, Hills said: 'Te Kawerau ā Maki have been wanting this work to proceed for decades, and we are honouring the partnership and process that has been long expected'. 'Their leadership came to me asking if this was the term we would act, and we said yes.' Consultation on the proposal closes today.
