Representatives from Ngāti Parewahawaha have appeared before the Waitangi Tribunal, raising concerns over contaminated whenua near Ōhakea and seeking recognition of the impacts caused by PFAS chemicals linked to firefighting foam used at the air base.
The iwi says the contamination threatens the health of their whenua and wai, as well as their traditional relationship with the environment.
Ngāti Parewahawaha is also seeking accountability from the Crown and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), questioning the lack of early engagement and information provided to mana whenua.
Appearing before Chief Judge Caren Fox at Central Energy Trust in Palmerston North, hapū chair Clifford Brown said despite the long road the hapū have travelled, work is not yet over.
“It’s been a long journey.
I think it’s good that we’re coming to some sort of a conclusion for this phase, but we still know there’s a long way to go.”
Claimant Robbie Richardson says the contamination has had a significant impact on the hapū’s way of life, affecting traditional practices and the ability to live from the land.
“The whenua, the wai. Our ability to be able to feed ourselves and also just that intergenerational transfer of mātauranga is also impacted.”
The hearing follows a three-part investigation by Te Ao Māori News into the issue, which revealed contamination concerns emerged in 2017 after the NZDF informed Ōhakea community members that PFAS chemicals from firefighting foam used during training since the 1980s had entered groundwater beneath the base.
Claimant Peter Daryl Richardson says these concerns are longstanding and creating a safer environment for their mokopuna is paramount.
“We belong to that whenua, we feed our whānau, we feed our hapū, ngā hapū and our manuhiri too. Clean land and clean water.”
Te Ao Māori News approached the NZDF for comment, but it declined to comment while the hearing is underway.
Ngāti Parewahawaha says while the impacts have been significant, it hopes the process will help restore the relationship between the hapū and the air force base.
The Waitangi Tribunal hearings will continue until Friday 17 July.
