Tangata Whenua Indicators (what we measure)

Overview

The Matamata-Piako District Council aims to maintain and encourage kaitiaki responsibility (guardianship) of Maori by implementing a partnership approach to the sustainable management of the district’s natural and physical resources. The Resource Management Act 1991 requires that in achieving the purpose of the Act all persons under it shall:

• Recognise and provide for the relationship of Maori and their culture and traditions with ancestral lands, water, sites, waahi tapu (spiritual and culturally important places for Maori), and other taonga (items, objects or things that represents the ancestral identity of a Maori kin group (whanau, hapu or iwi) with their particular land and resources) as a matter of national importance
• Have particular regard to kaitiakitanga (the exercise of guardianship)
• Take into account the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Land use activities and subdivision development may adversely affect sites of cultural significance to iwi. Sites might be modified, damaged or destroyed by construction activity, roads or housing development. To avoid, mitigate or minimise any adverse effects there needs to be:

• An understanding with the local iwi or hapu to identify sites of cultural significance potentially affected by development
• A partnership between iwi and Council
• Increased involvement of iwi in the decision making process such as plan development and monitoring.

Our Situation

Of the 175,300ha of land in the district, 4,802ha is held in rateable Maori Title. In 2006/07 Council received one complaint regarding a lack of consultation with a particular iwi hapu for the 2007/08 Annual Plan. Other than this complaint there have been no other complaints received by Council from local iwi between 2000/01 and 2008/09 that have been recorded.