In the consenting context, tangata whenua means the indigenous people (Māori) who have historic and territorial rights over the land. It refers to iwi and hapū (Māori tribal groups) who have these rights within the Horizons Region. Tangata whenua interests are represented by a number of iwi (tribal) authorities, hapū groups or post-settlment governance entities (PSGEs) in our region. Resource consent applicants are strongly encouraged to engage with tangata whenua by contacting the relevant iwi authority, or engaging directly with hapū at place. We also need to take into account specific legislation relevant to our region. The Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act and the Te Waiū-o-Te-Ika provisions within the Ngāti Rangi Claims Settlement Act are unique to our region, and play a crucial role in the consent process. If you’re preparing a resource consent application for the Whanganui or Whangaehu areas, we advise contacting the Consents Team early. This will allow us to guide you through how these regulations might impact your proposal. You can find contacts for your area by getting in touch with us at Consents.enquiries@horizons.govt.nz or by calling 0508 800 800. Alternatively, Te Puni Kōkiri Ministry of Māori Development maintains a directory of iwi and Māori organisations called Te Kāhui Māngai. You can access this directory here.