<p>IN THE HEARINGS PANEL TAURANGA</p><p>UNDER of the Resource Management Act 1991</p><p>IN THE MATTER a resource consent application by the ASTROLABE COMMUNITY TRUST to leave the remains of the MV Rena wreck on the Otaiti/Astrolabe Reef and discharge contaminants from those remains </p><p>BRIEF OF EVIDENCE OF PETER GRANT October 2 2015</p><p>Instructing Solicitor: Counsel Acting Chris Rejthar Kate Barry-Piceno Advocate Legal Limited Barrister PO Box 13033, Tauranga PO Box 5426, Mt Maunganui Ph: 07 577 6565 T: 07 575 7383 2</p><p>Email: [email protected] E: [email protected] I, PETER GRANT, state:</p><p>1. My name is Peter Grant. I am a member and current Chair of Motiti</p><p>Environmental Management Incorporated (“MEMI”) which made a submission</p><p> to the Astrolabe Trust application for resource consent in 2014. This</p><p> submission is listed as number 153 on the Rena Resource Consent website. My</p><p> evidence is given in support of this submission, which states that subject to</p><p> suitable conditions to mitigate effects, in particular effects to the Motiti Island</p><p> community, MEMI is satisfied consent should be granted to allow the Wreck to</p><p> remain on the Otaiti reef.</p><p>2. The Motiti Environment Management Incorporated was formed in 2008 with an</p><p> objective to restoring Motiti’s environmental resources as well as establishing</p><p> and implementing a management plan of the islands infrastructural resources.</p><p>It is these resources that the people of Motiti rely on to live their day to day</p><p> lives and to provide for their spiritual, cultural and social wellbeing. We have a 4</p><p> duty to ensure these resources are left in a better position for our mokopuna</p><p> and future generations.</p><p>3. My whakapapa lineage back to Motiti Island is through my great grandfather –</p><p>Riritahi Ngamanu, who lived and farmed on Motiti in the late 1800’s when</p><p>Motiti was a thriving trading place. He and my great grandmother borne and</p><p> raised their five children on Motiti. My grandmother is Paretaihinu, one of his</p><p> five children. After giving birth to my mother, Te Auhi at Motiti, my</p><p> grandmother was unable to raise my mother due to illness therefore that</p><p> responsibility was passed to her elder sister – Harata. </p><p>4. My mother, being an only child, was entrusted with land interests at Motiti</p><p> from both her mother and aunty Harata, Harata never having children of her</p><p> own. Since then my mother’s interest on Motiti has passed down to me, my</p><p> brothers and sisters, for us to manage for future generations.</p><p>5. My parents, having being bought up on Motiti, left Motiti in the early 1950’s</p><p> due to a growing family and to provide better education and social</p><p> opportunities for us as kids. Motiti became our place where we spent every</p><p> school holidays and it was a much loved destination. Our nanny Harata 5</p><p> travelled to Whakatane every school holiday period to take us back with her.</p><p>Motiti was paradise for our family as we were showered with all the goodies</p><p> that children could want, plus we were able to observe and learn the traditional</p><p> cultural practises of living on Motiti from the elders living there. We learnt all</p><p> of the customary fishing places including the Otaiti reef, as well the waahi tapu</p><p> areas around the island and out at sea.</p><p>6. Our learning wasn’t only from my nanny but other nanny and koro (reference</p><p> to all our older people) who also lived on Motiti, as well as spending time with</p><p> other children and residents. We were taught to respect our elders and other</p><p> whanau plus respect the property of others. Not only did you respect others,</p><p> you also helped where help was required or gave where resources/materials</p><p> were needed. It was a case of everybody looking after each other.</p><p>7. Another of our learning points was knowing our connections to the Marae’s</p><p> and Hapu, the Marae’s on Motiti being arms to the main body Toroa which</p><p> resides in Whakatane and Patuwai being our tribe. There was never any</p><p> mention or recognition of other Hapu from our elders. 6</p><p>8. Recent changes affecting Motiti, i.e. the formation and then various appeals</p><p> over establishment of a District plan for Motiti, has seen the formation of</p><p> various Maori groups laying claim of ownership/belonging to Motiti, plus even</p><p> further groups have emerged with a supposed mandate to speak for the Motiti</p><p> community with the Rena grounding. The formation of these different factions</p><p> and groups has put a lot of stress, confusion and pressure on whanau, where</p><p> tension and unrest is evident at some gatherings.</p><p>9. Motiti has always been a time out destination for me and my family. It allows</p><p> me to reconnect to the cultural traditions and practises I’ve been taught,</p><p> practises I have shared with my children and am currently passing onto my</p><p> grandchildren. </p><p>10. Unfortunately the long term lack of financial support from any Government</p><p>Authority at Motiti has meant that there has been minimal care, management</p><p> or planning to protect our natural resources at Motiti. The damage from the</p><p>Rena grounding further caused significant damage to our shoreline but this has</p><p> now been rectified. Our inability to visit the island or fish in the vicinity after</p><p> the wreck prevented past traditional and customary practises to be carried out 7</p><p> or passed on. This damage however, has now been remedied, and fishing has</p><p> recommenced along the shorelines directly affected, and by boat in the ocean</p><p> around Motiti and outskirts of Otaiti reef. MEMI would very much like to see</p><p>Otaiti opened up again so it can be available to our community to visit and</p><p> fish. If further parts of the Rena are required to be taken off, this will exclude</p><p> us from the reefs for years longer.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>11. MEMI’s decision to change from a neutral submission to one of support for this</p><p> application to be granted with suitable mitigation conditions, including a Motiti</p><p>Project Fund, was not made lightly. It was not a decision that MEMI made</p><p> based solely on financial compensation being offered and it is offensive to</p><p> suggest “we sold out” for cash from the applicants. </p><p>12. MEMI consider the Rena should be left where it is based on the reef being</p><p> restored back to a healthy state. MEMI support imposition of conditions to</p><p> protect against further adverse effects or risks of potential damage. Most of</p><p> the MEMI members have very strong, genuine and longstanding cultural and</p><p> ancestral links to Motiti. 8</p><p>13. We are very aware we are privileged to be landowners at Motiti, a privilege</p><p> passed down to us from our ancestors. Our people sacrificed and fought hard</p><p> to retain land and ownership rights affected by both European and various</p><p> occupation challenges on the Island. Our members take our obligations as</p><p>Kaitiaki guardians over the future of Motiti’s environmental, social and cultural</p><p> wellbeing very seriously. This includes both Pakeha and Maori who are</p><p> committed to the Motiti community.</p><p>14. MEMI came to the decision to support the application after review of the</p><p> evidence and consultation with the applicant owners and their experts. We have</p><p> also sought our own expert and legal advice. Of great importance for myself</p><p> and other Maori members was the expert advice of the Motiti Korowai elders</p><p> with respect to cultural values, and how our cultural values are affected by this</p><p> proposal.</p><p>15. A review of the history and past practises of other Government entities prior to</p><p> the Rena highlights decades of neglect and lack of investment in Motiti Island</p><p> and its Maori community. There has been no efforts to protect or enhance our</p><p> island or the shorelines surrounding Motiti. 9</p><p>16. I also have to acknowledge there has been decades of neglect and no financial</p><p> investment in Motiti Island by our Iwi or Hapu groups either. </p><p>17. Ironically, the only investment in any improvements for the Island that I have</p><p> ever witnessed has been works undertaken or paid for by Rena owners/Insurers.</p><p>These works include nautical lights put out on rocks near the island for safety,</p><p> the recent toilet block and septic tank put in for the Marae, a new tractor and</p><p> construction of a new church (after our last church was seriously damaged by</p><p>Cyclone Lusi). These works were paid for out of the compensation claim made</p><p> against the Costamare Shipping Company by the Motiti Rohe Moana Trust /</p><p>Motiti Marae Committee. I am not aware of any of the compensation paid to</p><p>Ngati Awa in 2014 from the limitation fund being spent on Motiti Island for its</p><p>Te Patuwai community.</p><p>18. The applicant and Owner of MV Rena have shown alot of respect and genuine</p><p> commitment to consult meaningfully with the Motiti community. MEMI have</p><p> considered the issues facing the future of Motiti Island and our island</p><p> community. MEMI believe allowing consent to abandon the remaining parts of 10</p><p> the wreck on the Otaiti Reef is the best and only realistic course of action. The</p><p> owners have made huge efforts over the last four years through salvage and</p><p> extensive recovery operations to return our island environment and waters as</p><p> close as practicable to their previous state.. The Rena Owners ongoing efforts</p><p> and commitment to consult with us and work hard towards recovery of the</p><p>Reef has been appreciated.</p><p>19. Ngati Awa’s and Te Patuwai Hapu’s evidence has focussed on the sickness of</p><p> our people from discord and upset inter-hapu, stating it is due to the Rena</p><p>Application. With respect, these conflicts have been there for a long time, at</p><p> least since the introduction of a District Plan and Hapu Management Plan.</p><p>Environmental degradation issues facing our Island have also been there long</p><p> before the Rena and need to be addressed by our people to protect our Island</p><p> and our Motiti community’s way of life.</p><p>20. I strongly believe a focus on the Island, and more infrastructure and restoration</p><p> projects to benefit Motiti and Tangata Whenua, rather than litigation, is a way</p><p> to restore our people’s health and reunite us all. I believe Otaiti’s restoration in</p><p> its Mauri is reflected in the video footage, which shows how rich in sea life it 11</p><p> now is. As stated by some of the experts, the fishing stocks out at Otaiti have</p><p> been able to recover from the no fishing exclusion zone.</p><p>21. If consent is granted and a Motiti Project Fund is established, we will finally be</p><p> able to obtain closure of this ongoing conflict amongst our people and look</p><p> positively to the future. MEMI’s positive approach has had increasing support</p><p> through the course of this hearing from Motiti Tangata Whenua landowners,</p><p> with our membership numbers increasing significantly over the last month. The</p><p>Motiti Project fund will help mitigate effects and enable investment in projects</p><p> for a better brighter future for all of the Motiti community. MEMI thinks that</p><p> the cultural and environmental damage of the wreck either has already been</p><p> remedied or can be, though the conditions as offered and set out by the</p><p>Applicant.</p><p>PETER GRANT 12</p><p> nd DATED this 2 day of October 2015</p>