The government has responded to criticism from Northland iwi Ngātiwai they were left out of discussions for the Hauraki Gulf restoration strategy.
Te Poari o Ngātiwai chief executive Huhana Lyndon says emails and a zoom call from DOC are not sufficient engagement. Photo: Ferntech/ Unsplash
Te Poari o Ngātiwai chief executive Huhana Lyndon told RNZ the iwi had not been included in the discussion process, including that within the Hauraki Gulf Forum where mana whenua representatives were present.
"There's a Hauraki Gulf Forum that's been established by the Crown to design and work alongside iwi mana whenua and local councils to formulate a plan and yet the iwi mana whenua are saying where is our voice?"
But the Department of Conservation (DOC) has responded in a statement to RNZ, saying it did consult with representatives of Ngātiwai and on multiple occasions.
DOC said they engaged with Ngātiwai at multiple steps while the strategy was being formulated, according to best practice and the consultation protocols laid out in the government engagement framework by Te Arawhiti.
They said Ngātiwai was contacted in 2018 after Cabinet agreed to establish a Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) to assist in developing a response to the Sea Change Plan.
"The iwi and hapū stakeholders for this process were contacted following advice from the Office of Treaty Settlements," DOC said.
"Feedback was sought on the draft Government Response Strategy in 2020; we were advised by the Ngātiwai Trust Board that they were using a consultant.
"This consultant received an information pack and was engaged in a meeting shortly after, in which they gave their feedback and supplied very helpful supplementary material afterwards."
Te Poari o Ngātiwai chief executive Huhana Lyndon said there had been some very minor email engagements recently and a Zoom hui held in June 2020 where a high level overview of the kaupapa was provided.
Huhana Lyndon Photo: Supplied
But she argued these were not sufficient engagement.
"We remind the Department of Conservation of Section 4 of the Conservation Act that reminds the ministry of their obligations to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
"Te Poari o Ngātiwai affirm the minor engagement received from DOC and its officials does not demonstrate meaningful engagement nor did we have the chance to review nor input into the strategy launched this week."
Te Poari o Ngātiwai had sought to participate in nominations to be represented on the Hauraki Gulf forum as tangata whenua.
They nominated chair Aperahama Edwards, but this nomination was declined.
"We would like to query the nominations process for tangata whenua representation requiring minister sign-off and further Cabinet sign-off - where is the Te Tiriti partnership in this process when the Crown ultimately decides who sits as iwi mana whenua voice on the Hauraki Gulf Forum?" Lyndon said.
Te Poari o Ngātiwai said they would welcome a hui with the conservation minister in relation to the minister's execution of the development of the Hauraki Gulf Sea Change Plan and how it gives effect to the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.