Watercare Waikato River Water Take Application
Submission Reference no: 83
Waahi Paa (Huirama Matatahi)
Submitter Type: Not specified Source: Email
Overall Notes:
Clause What are you submitting on? You can submit on specific parts of the application or the application as a whole. Position The whole Watercare application Notes
Clause My submission on the Watercare application is that (please select one): Position I oppose it (or specific parts of it) Notes
Clause Do you wish to be heard in support of your submission? All submissions will be considered by the Board of Inquiry, but please indicate if you wish to heard in support of your submission. Position I wish to be heard in support of my submission Notes From: Waahi Marae To: watercareapplication Subject: Watercare Board of Inquiry Submission - Waahi Paa/Marae Date: Thursday, 25 March 2021 4:31:34 pm Attachments: Watercare Submission from Waahi Paa Marae 2021 03 25.docx
Teenaa koutou e te Board of Inquiry
Please find attached a copy of Waahi Paa submission on the Watercare Services Limited to take 150,000 m3/day(net).
If you have any questions or need to make contact promptly, please contact Huirama Matatahi on or [email protected].
Ngaa mihi
Moeroa Devonshire SECRETARY WAAHI PAA/MARAE Huirama Matatahi (Chairperson) Waahi Paa Huntly 3700 WAIKATO
Environment Protection Authority Private Bag 63002 Waterloo Quay WELLINGTON 6140
11 March 2021
To the Board of Inquiry Re: Watercare Services Limited to take 150,000 m3/day(net) Taane i aahua i te poo uriuri, i te poo tangotango, i te poo kerekere, i te poo i oti atu. Teenei te toki a Rata ka uu, ka mau, ka ranga ki te puutahitanga te taahuuhuunui o Rehua. Kia ara ake ana ia ko Taane i Te Pupuke e tuu nei. Tiihei Mauri ora!
This submission has been written on behalf of our whanau of Waahi Paa. Our paa is situated on the western bank of the Waikato River in Raahui Pookeka - Huntly and is adjacent to the Lake Waahi stream which links Lake Waahi to the Waikato River. Waahi Pa is the principal marae of all heads of the King Movement since Mahuta (the third Maori King). Waahi Paa was the home of the late Maori Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu and the late Robert Te Kotahi Mahuta (principal negotiator for the Waikato Raupatu Treaty Settlement). We have 2,890 registered tribal members who have nominated Waahi as their principal marae. Our primary iwi affiliation is to Waikato, we are a Poukai marae and uphold the values, principles and activities of the Kiingitanga. The hapuu interests connected to our paa include; Ngaati Mahuta, Ngaati Whawhaakia, Ngaati Pou, Ngaati Kuiarangi, Ngaati Hine, Ngaati Koroki, Ngaati Paaoa, and Ngaati Maniapoto. The historical origin of our paa was established prior to the 1863 Waikato land wars when our rohe was renowned as a source of tuna puhi (short finned eel). Waahi was an eeling settlement and contributed to the annual seasonal harvesting of tuna and redistribution across our rohe. Tuna are an iconic and highly valued species to our marae. Tuna were once abundant, found in many waterways, easily caught and highly nutritious. To our ancestors tuna provided much needed protein and a source of essential fatty acids crucial for everyday life and at times battle. The history of tuna and Waikato-Tainui are intertwined. Many stories, songs, events, locations and carvings of the tribe are associated with tuna. The names Raahui Pookeka, Lake Waahi, Lake Hakanoa and Lake Kimihia come from the ancient conservation stories about tuna in and around our marae.
Tuna is the ‘Kai Rangatira’ of Waahi Paa. It is our trademark dish that represent the connection of generations. It symbolises the traditional practices of “rauiri” and “paawhara”, “hiinaki” and “ahikaa”. Tuna is a tangible indication of the health of our waterways. The “mauri” of Lake Waahi and Taatahi stream can be measured by the flow and abundance of Tuna. The late Tainui leader Sir Robert Te Kotahi Mahuta from Waahi Pa once said that “the Waikato tribe and the Waikato River are inseparable – the river and the people are one and the same. The Waikato-Tainui tribe has taken its name from the river, and the river has taken its name from the tribe”. Like a devoted mother, the Waikato River its streams, lakes and wetlands has sustained her people for centuries - physically, spiritually and culturally. The river has provided Waahi Paa and Waikato a food source and transportation, trade both domestic and international, intrinsic healing powers, cultural sustenance, identity, status and unity. Therefore it is not difficult to understand why Waahi Paa and Waikato-Tainui consider the Waikato River an ancestor which continues to sustain her people and the people of New Zealand. The Waikato River and its rich fertile lands is the economic powerhouse of New Zealand. Background The basis for this submission is to make clear our distinct connection to this issue. We assert our view as a river marae. Members of our marae whanau can recall the original request from the then Mayor of Manukau Sir Barry Curtis who travelled to Hopuhopu to meet with the tribal leadership at the time. The original request to take water from the Waikato was in response to the 1994 drought. This request preceded the settlement of the Waikato Raupatu Claim which included outstanding claims such as the Waikato River and West Coast Harbours. At the time the high level undertaking sought was in relation to the protection of interests that would enable the resolution of the tribes raupatu claim over its whenua, the Waikato River and west coast harbours. We recall that Auckland was facing a water crisis and the request was categorised as an emergency. After a period of deliberation, kaumaatua and kuia accepted that tribal members and whanaunga resided in Auckland and the agreement to extract water for their livelihood through a pipeline in Tuakau should be supported. In addition to this agreement the expectation of our tribal leaders was that a sustainable solution to Auckland’s growth needs and water consumption would be sought by Watercare. The conditions set out by the tribe for the emergency water- take included at the time;
• Clean up of the river, • Recognition that the physical damage to wai tapu and waahi tapu would be permanent and irreplaceable, • The serious damage to Waikato-Tainui’s special relationship with the Waikato River would be long-term and devastating. Emergency water supply for municipal use in Auckland became full resource access for consumption, sanitation and commercial use. We anticipate that this is likely to occur under the current emergency provision if it is to proceed. Our point is that Auckland will continue to ignore its growth challenges and the need to take a more sustainable approach. We observe that in the past thirty years since the initial agreement to extract water from the Waikato River there has not been a strategic relationship between Auckland Councils, Watercare, and the Waikato-Tainui and consequently ourselves as a river community. The current emergency has forced a conversation between Auckland City and Waikato District Councils alongside Watercare and Waikato-Tainui. We find this situation unsatisfactory and further evidence of the lack of strategic planning for growth within the sustainable water catchments between Auckland and the Waikato region. As Waahi Paa is situated near the Huntly Power station, we have first-hand experience of the challenges of big industry taking water from the river in our immediate community impacting on our quality of life and customary practices. The golden triangle (Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga) is described by the government as the economic powerhouse of the country and has seen significant investment. This will significantly increase the demands placed upon the river and its catchment well into the future. Therefore it is vital that views of Waahi Paa are recognised and given effect to. This will increase the health and wellbeing of the river for future generations. Our Position We oppose the further consenting of water take from the Waikato River to support the unrestrained growth of Auckland Super city on the following basis; 1. The lack of recognition of our inherent relationship to our Tupuna Awa and exercise of our kaitiakitanga and responsibilities for the day to day health, wellbeing and restoration of the mauri of our awa. • Our Paa and Iwi aspiration for the long-term health and wellbeing, protection and restoration objectives are articulated in Te Ture Whaimana and set out in the Waikato River Settlement. There has been no attempt by Watercare or the Auckland City Council to have regard to the undertakings expressed in our settlement and through Te Ture Whaimana to ensure that the wellbeing of the river and its people are provided for. • For Waahi, we exercise our relationship to the river and our tributaries and lakes in our surrounding area. The river is an indivisible whole and we are concerned that if unfettered extraction of water to support Auckland’s growth continues without regard to the livelihood and customary practices of river iwi then we may well experience water poverty and further disconnection from our Tupuna Awa. • The Waikato River is the tupuna of Waahi Paa and Waikato-Tainui. It is difficult to explain in words the spiritual, cultural, and physical importance of the river to Waahi Paa. The river has its own mana and mauri which is strengthened by the marae who inhabit its banks and tributaries. Waahi Paa and Waikato-Tainui, as poutiaki (guardians) of the river, have a duty of care beyond that of others. The special relationship Waahi Pa and Waikato-Tainui has with the river obligates us to protect the mana o te awa (the spiritual authority, protective power and prestige of the river) and to exercise mana whakahaere (authority) according to tikanga forged by the early ancestors, to ensure the wellbeing of the river spiritually, culturally and physically. • Future allocations should prioritise the needs of the river, tributaries, fauna and flora first, and above all else. Only after the river is first provided for, then we can consider the needs of others. • Subsequent allocation of water from the Waikato River should enable greater equity outcomes for communities, specifically Māori communities who have been historically disadvantaged through inequity and the lack recognition of their cultural rights to the river over generations.
2. The existing water allocation model preferences existing consent holders and has impeded whenua maaori and marae whaanau. • We remain concerned that the potential agreement for Watercare to take more water is a decision that does not have regard for those communities that are already experiencing water poverty as a result of existing arrangements. A case in point is Mangatangi marae who hold their Poukai on October 12th directly after Waahi holds its annual poukai on October 8th. The Mangatawhiri stream supports the Hunua dam and we understand that Mangatangi marae has not had enough water to host their hui and have had to get water tankers in to support their activities. Under current settings this is a prime example of water poverty. • In addition to this example, several marae south of Waahi along the river are not able to access town supply water, these matters have not been addressed by Councils and marae which primarily operate as voluntary organisations are forced to fundraise to upgrade their facilities to continue their community activities. As communal meeting places similar to town halls this is a current example of water exclusion based on the current oversight of how inefficient the water service network is for our maaori communities. • In support of our whanaunga in Te Puaha o Waikato who exist south of the Tuakau pipeline, Watercare has been quick to highlight the water treatment plant upgrade in that community not recognising that the marae continue to struggle with the provision of reliable safe drinking water and still operate septic tanks. Watercare has had thirty years to consider what an active partnership might look like with Waikato or directly with these marae to address this issue, instead we continue to highlight these matters with very little hope that there is any genuine commitment to work in partnership with our marae communities. This is an example of water dislocation whereby no attempt has been made to address the immediate downstream needs of communities from where the pipeline is situated. • We refer to these examples to highlight the extent of our concern in relation to both Watercare and the Auckland Council not understanding or respecting the importance of the Waikato River to our communities. Much will be said about the economic contribution of the Waikato River to support Auckland growth, but very little will be acknowledged as to the legitimate exclusion that we as river marae experience. Our ambition to uphold the health, wellbeing, protection and restoration of the river for sustainable growth is an approach our Paa is committed to. We seek a more equitable solution in the future consideration of consents to extract water for the Waikato River. • A cultural allocation of water to marae and Waikato-Tainui for their own needs should be provided for as a priority in any allocation model. This allocation would ensure long term connection to the river and lake environment and ensure that Marae as water users can influence the freshwater management units (FMU) sustainability measures.
3. Auckland needs to address the challenge of sustainable growth within existing catchment limits and improved urban design principles. • Our objection to Watercare’s consent application is that we are being asked to comment on a short term emergency take for Water which is likely to be integrated into the future consent adjustments that have already been forecast by Watercare. In the meantime the broader substantial matters such as an integrated plan for Auckland and Waikato growth, a better relationship between the regions with iwi, the status of Te Ture Whai Mana and the active participation of mana whenua through marae communities like Waahi Paa seem to be cast aside. • Watercare and Auckland City Council need to align their planning and decision-making to more adequately address the measures that could be adopted to respond to Auckland’s growth. Smart and efficient urban design, better use of greywater capture, green infrastructure solutions and even using planning and zoning tools to better situate ‘wet industries’ all require a more coordinated approach between these organisations. We have observed that the left and the right hand are not working constructively together and when there is a water emergency – all of a sudden it's Waikato’s problem to fix. Under the current scenario the Waikato River will bear the development burden of Auckland’s future growth.
Closing Remarks We request the Board of Inquiry to not lose sight of how it must give effect to Te Ture Whaimana in the consideration of this matter. We request to be heard in support of our submission.