Hon Parekura Horomia
Minister for Maori Affairs

4 September 2008 Media Statement

Recognising the importance of the Waikato River to Raukawa and Te Arawa.

“Today we recognized the importance of the Waikato River to Raukawa and Te Arawa.This recognition will bring both iwi into a co-management framework that will work to restore the river to a state of health and well being”, Minister for Maori Affairs, Parekura Horomia said today

This agreement meets that challenge by providing Raukawa and Te Arawa with a place on the Guardians of the river, a role in determining the strategy and vision that will drive future management and restoration efforts, and membership on statutory body with responsibility for the management of the upper river.

Although there is a funding agreement that will allow Raukawa and Te Arawa to participate in these governance arrangements and the Crown will place at least $7m a year in the clean up fund for the river, this agreement is not about money or redress.

The agreement instead provides a structure within which Raukawa, Te Arawa, other iwi and all other stakeholders in the river can work together to restore the health and well being of the river.

Within this structure all stakeholders will have the opportunity to express how important the river is to them and how it can best be managed to reflect that importance.

“I would like to congratulate Raukawa and Te Arawa for seizing that moment and as a result we have an agreement that is a major step forward for both groups, for the region and for all New Zealanders.”

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Tautoko i ngā tikanga whakahira o te Awa o Waikato ki a Raukawa me Te Arawa

“I te rangi nei i tautokona e mātou ngā take whakahira o te Awa o Waikato ki a Ruakawa me Te Arawa. Mā konei ka hono mai ēnei iwi tokorua, ki tētahi pou tarāwaho whakahaere ngātahi, ka mahi ki te whakaora i te awa ki tōna āhua hauora, oranga,”e kī ana te Minita mō ngā Take Māori, a Parekura Horomia, i te rangi nei.

Ka tutuki e tēnei kirimana tērā wero, i te whakawhiwhinga tūranga ki a Raukawa me Te Arawa hei Kaitiaki mō te Awa, he tūranga ki te hanga i te rautaki me te matakite, koia nei ka arataki i ngā whakahaere kei mua, me ngā mahinga whakaora. Me ngā tūranga ki runga i te rōpū ā-ture kei reira te mana whakahaere i te wāhanga whakarunga o te awa.

Ahakoa tētahi kirimana whakapūtea ka whakaae i a Raukawa me Te Arawa ki te whaiwāhi ki ēnei whakaritenga whakahaere, me te whakawhiwhinga a te Karauna kia $7 miriona ia tau ki te tahua whakamā i te awa, ehara tēnei kirimana mō te moni, mō te whakatikatika rānei.

Engari kē, ko tā te kirimana he tuku i tētahi rōpū anga e taea ai a Raukawa, a Te Arawa, a ētahi iwi, me ngā kaiwhaiwāhi katoa kei runga i te awa, ki te mahi tahi ki te whakahoki i te hauora me te oranga o te awa.

I roto i tēnei rōpū anga ka wātea ngā kaiwhaiwāhi katoa ki te whakamōhio atu i te āhua whakahirahira o te awa ki a rātou, me te tuku whakaaro mō ngā huarahi whakahaere tino pai hei whakaatu i taua whakahiratanga.

“Ka mihi nui rawa atu ahau ki a Raukawa me Te Arawa kua hopu nei i tēnei wā tika, i te mea kua oti e mātou tētahi kirimana kia ahu whakamua tēnei kaupapa mō ngā rōpū e rua, mō te rohe, me ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa.”

ENDS

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