"Confusion" over proposed planning rules in the Gore district outlining areas of Māori significance has led to the farming lobby considering a meeting with local iwi to "clear the air".
The Gore District Council has put its district plan, which sets the rules for land use, out for public feedback.
Federated Farmers provincial president Jan Herrick said the council’s approach effectively declared the entire district an SASM.
"This is a highly unusual approach to handling iwi interests and could have a chilling effect on ordinary farming activities.
"Moving ahead with the proposed district plan as it stands will add a whole lot of bureaucracy to lots of day-to-day tasks, but not add a lot of value for anyone."
Hokonui Rūnaka representative Terry Nicholas said the entire district had not been identified as an SASM.
"For this reason, no specific sites or areas of significance to Māori are singled out and listed within the proposed district plan.
"This whole-of-district approach is not unique and has in fact been supported by Federated Farmers in the Mackenzie district, where Federated Farmers submitted in full support of this approach and endorsed an ongoing relationship between landowners and iwi", he said.
Mr Nicholas said the plan’s focus on seeking to identify activities which potentially have a high risk of impacting Ngāi Tahu cultural values would actually reduce the consent burden on farmers, rather than add to it.
"Under the proposed plan, the different activity status provides more certainty for everyone as to when consideration of Ngāi Tahu values needs to be part of the process."
He invited Federated Farmers to meet runanga to discuss its concerns about the proposed district plan’s provisions.
Mr Herrick said he would "absolutely" be happy to meet local iwi and runanga.
"We really want to clear the air here.
"There’s a lot of confusion surrounding what is classed as an area of Māori significance.
"We do understand there’s a still a process that’s going on — our interpretation of the plan is that the whole area is declared as one of Māori significance, which would be unworkable.
"We want to protect the areas of significance; we just want the council to identify them."
The council’s principal adviser Matt Heale said Federated Farmers’ claims were incorrect.
"There are no specific restrictions associated with areas of significance to Māori.
"The proposed approach in the proposed district plan is to focus on particular rules rather than identifying specific sites.
"Sometimes — but not always — this may include input on the cultural impacts of the activity.
"This can range from a simple email to a more detailed assessment, depending on the scale and effects of the proposal."
In 2021, a Southland-wide cultural landscape assessment study was undertaken by Te Ao Marama Inc, on behalf of Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku, and in partnership with Environment Southland, the Southland District Council, Gore District Council and Invercargill City Council.
Representatives from Hokonui Rūnanga co-drafted the draft district plan provisions with the council’s planners as part of the preparation of the draft and proposed district plan.
"The council has obligations under the Resource Management Act to, among other things, protect historic heritage from inappropriate subdivision, use and development; recognise and provide for the relationship of Māori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral lands, water, sites, waahi tapu and other taonga", Mr Heale said.
Hearings of submissions on the proposed Gore district plan started in June and run through to March next year.
