At a meeting on Wednesday, Environment Canterbury (ECan) passed three motions moved by Ngāi Tahu councillor Tutehounuku Korako and approved a new Tuia partnership agreement with Papatipu Rūnanga ki Waitaha.
“This council has made a courageous decision by passing these three motions,” Korako said.
“It shows this council honours its Tuia agreement. This council doesn’t just talk about partnership, it acts on it.”
The motions included continuing to publicly oppose the Government’s proposed legislation to amend the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011, which could impede customary marine title.
The other two motions related to environmental impacts on the Whakaraupō / Lyttelton Harbour.
The new Tuia partnership agreement outlines how ECan will work together with the 10 Papatipu Rūnanga across Canterbury.
Council chairperson Craig Pauling said the previous Tuia agreement was signed in 2012, but the relationship between ECan and Papatipu Rūnanga dates back to the 1990s, following the passing of the Resource Management Act in 1998.
Deputy chairperson Deon Swiggs said he was keen to see how the new agreement translates into action.
“Ngāi Tahu is important as the mana whenua, and there are other Māori living in Waitaha, so how do we involve them in the conversation?”
Ngāi Tahu councillor Iaean Cranwell said in passing the new agreement, the regional council has shown “maturity”.
Cr Peter Scott said he has been sitting at the council since 2016 and has seen the benefit of having Ngāi Tahu councillors around the table, which saved time and money.
“I have got myself put in a corner with having to explain my views on these things in South Canterbury, but I believe we are better off having these people in the room.”
Cr Grant Edge said he has been on a “pretty amazing journey”, as one of the councillors who negotiated the new agreement with Papatipu Rūnanga.
The motion to approve the new Tuia agreement was passed with just two councillors, Ian Mackenzie and David East, voting against it.
Cr Mackenzie said he could not support the new agreement as the process for Papatipu Rūnanga to provide advice on resource consent applications has not been finalised.
“If this agreement was at a governance level I could have supported it.”
Cr East said he believed in “one country, one people, one vote”.
The council’s Te Pou Herenga - Ngāi Tahu / Māori relationships director David Perenara-O’Connell said in most cases there will be no need for Rūnanga to view consents before they are approved.
The new agreement had been endorsed by Te Ropu Tuia, a joint committee of Rūnanga chairs and councillors, at a meeting on August 29.
It will now be presented to each of the 10 Rūnanga committees across Canterbury.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
