A significant milestone in the Central Otago District Council (CODC) partnership with Maori regarding input in council decision-making was reached yesterday.
At a full meeting of the council, community development adviser Rebecca Williams presented her report to consider a draft partnership protocol between the council and mana whenua (Maori who have historic and territorial rights over the land).
"CODC’s relationship with mana whenua has gone from strength to strength, particularly in the time I have been here," she said.
Te Runanga o Moeraki, Kati Huirapa ki Puketeraki, Te Runanga o Otakou, and Hokonui Runanga (ka runaka) were the Otago-based Papatipu Runaka (marae communities) that represented mana whenua in the Central Otago District and were supported by Aukaha, their regional consultancy, which would be the conduit of the partnership.
Relationships between the council and mana whenua had taken a number of forms and ka runaka submitted to the CODC’s 2021-31 long-term plan, seeking funding for engagement in the council’s work under a Treaty of Waitangi partnership arrangement.
"The key decision today is about the formalising of the relationship."
Section 81 of the Local Government Act stated that a local authority must establish and maintain processes to provide opportunities for Maori to contribute to the decision-making processes and consider ways in which it may foster the development of Maori capacity to contribute to the decision-making processes of the local authority, Ms Williams said.
Aukaha had formal relationship agreements in place with the Otago Regional, Queenstown Lakes District and the Dunedin City councils.
Historically, Aukaha engagement with the Central Otago District Council has been undertaken on a piecemeal, cost recovery basis, she said.
Partnership funding provided certainty that Aukaha staff could commit time and resource to engaging in the council’s strategic planning processes.
Following discussions, $35,000 from existing budgets could fund the draft partnership protocol to deliver on the work programmes it was budgeted for. This meant an additional $35,000 of new expenditure would be required to fund the agreement.
Any new expenditure will have an effect on the 2022-23 proposed rate increase.
"We do have a legal and we also have a moral obligation I think to partner in good faith with iwi, it strengthens on work."
It also tapped into an important part of the district’s history that was unknown and lost, she said.
