Engaging with tangata whenua in the Horizons Region

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.

Tangata whenua and the Environment

Tangata whenua have a special cultural and spiritual relationship with the environment, which is included as a matter of national importance under Sections 6 and 7 of the Resource Management Act. This includes, but is not limited to, their relationship with:
  • Water
  • Wāhi tapu (sacred sites)
  • Taonga (treasures)
  • Ancestral lands
Resource consent applicants, and the Council, must consider these matters of national importance when preparing resource consent applications.

When should I engage with iwi and hapū?

Resource consent applicants are recommended to engage with iwi and/or hapū when their proposal may affect tangata whenua values. The best way to identify these values and take these into account is through meaningful engagement with the relevant iwi and/or hapű. In some cases this may be one group, or it may be a number of different iwi and/or hapū groups.

You can find contacts for your area by getting in touch with the Consents Team 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.

Tangata whenua values may be affected by proposals subject to, or involving:
  • ancestral lands,
  • significant ecological areas,
  • coastal marine area,
  • discharges to, or which may enter, the sea, rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, aquifers and air,
  • sites and places of significance to tangata whenua,
  • Claims Settlement Acts,
  • Statutory Acknowledgements,
  • treaty settlement land, or
  • Māori land.

How do I engage with iwi and hapū?

It is important to recognise iwi and hapū groups often wear many pōtae (hats). Many groups are managing heavy workloads with very few resources, and often full-time jobs on the side. Their work also often extends beyond resource consenting, or even environmental management. We recommend you engage with iwi early in the development of your proposal for these reasons.

In most cases, iwi and hapū within our region prefer you to contact them directly, either over the phone or in person. In some cases, this will be via an initial email, followed by a phone call, a meeting or a site visit. As a resource consent applicant it is your responsibility to initiate and undertake this engagement. However, Council can help by providing further advice around engaging with tangata whenua. You can get in touch with the Consents Team on consents.enquiries@horizons.govt.nz or freephone 0508 800 800.

Benefits of engaging with iwi and hapū

Working with tangata whenua and undertaking early engagement can help you to:
  • understand the history of your area and site,
  • be informed about the views of tangata whenua,
  • build meaningful partnerships,
  • plan or design your proposal with tangata whenua values in mind, and consider avoidance, and potential mitigations or remediation early during the development phase,
  • ensure time pressures are managed early on in the process,
  • ensure the Assessment of Environmental Effects (AEE) that must accompany your application identifies and appropriately addresses the potential effects of your proposal, and
  • reduce the risk of processing delays through requests for additional information or notification of your consent application.

What is expected of an applicant?

When iwi and hapū are engaged by an applicant, some things which may make conversations more productive are:
  • providing access to all relevant information,
  • having a willingness to meet face-to-face,
  • respecting the views of others involved,
  • respecting the time and expertise of others, and
  • maintaining a level of professionalism.
During engagement tangata whenua have a right to:
  • decide what their interests in an application are, and declare those interests, and
  • make submissions on notified applications, and be heard in support of those submissions.

What happens if engagement is delayed?

You do not need to reach an agreement before you lodge your resource consent application, but we encourage you to record the outcomes of any hui (meetings) so you can include these with your AEE. If the concerns of tangata whenua cannot be resolved, but you wish to proceed, then you may still lodge your consent application. We recommend you include details of any discussions or engagement attempts with your application documents to demonstrate you have made a genuine attempt to engage openly and honestly.

Cost of engaging with tangata whenua

Just like any business or organisation, it costs money to keep the lights on. In some circumstances, iwi or hapū may choose to recover the costs of their time and expertise, just like other technical experts.

To avoid confusion, it's advisable to ask about potential costs before starting the process. You can ask for an estimate or seek guidance on what is considered appropriate when you formally engage with tangata whenua. We encourage you to consider their expertise in the same way you would value any other technical expert. They are providing essential information to help ensure your resource consent application is thorough and that all potential effects are properly assessed.

If you require any assistance please don’t hesitate to contact our Consents Team on  consents.enquiries@horizons.govt.nz or freephone 0508 800 800.