The Taranaki Regional Council has formally approved a Joint Management Agreement with Ngāti Maru, establishing a shared framework for environmental decision-making across the Waitara River catchment.
The agreement, endorsed at the council's ordinary meeting, marks the first formal arrangement of this type between the regional council and a local iwi.
Under the terms of the agreement, the council and the iwi will collaborate on environmental plan-making, monitoring, enforcement, and resource consents within the Waitara River catchment.
The arrangement formalises operational relationships that have existed between the two entities for several years.
Taranaki Regional Council Chair Craig Williamson said the agreement provides a structured framework for resource management within the iwi's rohe.
"This JMA recognises Ngāti Maru’s enduring relationship with their taonga and sets out the responsibilities and obligations of the Council and iwi in safeguarding the catchment of the Waitara River,” Williamson said.
Ngāti Maru Pou Whakahaere and Chief Executive Officer Anaru Marshall expressed the cultural and historical importance of the waterway, which the iwi refers to as Te Awaroa.
"The Waitara River, known to us as Te Awaroa, is one of the largest catchments in Taranaki and has played a central role in sustaining Ngāti Maru as a people, physically, culturally and historically over many centuries," Marshall said. He stated that the agreement offers an opportunity to work collaboratively on the health of the river.
The implementation of the Joint Management Agreement is a statutory requirement under the Ngāti Maru (Taranaki) Claims Settlement Act 2022.
Certain provisions within the agreement will also interface with other existing entities, including the Waitara River Authorities and a future Waitara River Committee.
Alongside the river-specific agreement, the council endorsed a Mana Whakahono ā Rohe relationship agreement. This broader framework outlines how Ngāti Maru will interact with all four local authorities in the region, including the New Plymouth, Stratford, and South Taranaki district councils, on wider resource management planning.
Two separate forums will manage the agreements. A Leadership Forum with members from the regional council and Ngāti Maru will handle the river agreement, while a larger Relationship Forum involving all four Taranaki councils will oversee the broader resource management agreement.
Marshall stated the broader agreement aims to improve operational efficiency and clarity across the region's local government bodies.
Williamson added that both organisations look forward to working under the new structure, focusing on ensuring the local ecosystem is managed for future generations.
