Statutory Acknowledgements
Statutory acknowledgements are statements of cultural, spiritual, historic, and traditional associations of an iwi with a site or an area acknowledged by the Crown in Treaty of Waitangi settlement processes. They have legal weight from inclusion in Treaty claims settlement acts.
Statutory acknowledgement areas include land, geographical features, lakes, wetlands and coastal marine environments that the iwi is associated with. Where a statutory acknowledgement relates to a river, lake, wetland or coastal area, it only applies to that part of the bed in Crown ownership or control.
The purpose of the statutory acknowledgements is specified in each Settlement Act, but generally includes:
A requirement for Horizons to forward summaries of resource consent applications to the post Treaty settlement entity if the activities lie within, adjacent to, or impact directly on the identified statutory areas, unless there is an alternative agreement with the iwi;
Empowerment for iwi to quote the statutory acknowledgement as evidence of the association that the iwi has with a statutory area in consent decision-making processes.
Horizons has a responsibility to attach information recording statutory acknowledgements to the One Plan. It is important information for resource users to consider when making an application for resource consent.
Statutory Acknowledgements in the Horizons Region
Working together with tangata whenua
Our region is home to more than 30 iwi and 100 hapū. Strong relationships between Horizons Regional Council and tangata whenua aren't just good practice, they're essential to good environmental decision-making in a region where the connections between people and place run deep.
Māori Advisory Team
Our Te Pae Kōuka advisors are the primary point of contact between Horizons and the tangata whenua of our region. They support partnership structures, develop and maintain formal relationship agreements, build organisational cultural competency, and enable meaningful tangata whenua engagement in policy development, resource management and environmental projects.
Formal Partnerships and Arrangements
Iwi and hapū throughout the region have expressed a desire to work in various forms of partnership with Horizons. Some of these aspirations are embedded through Treaty settlements – others are acknowledged through memoranda of partnership and other formal arrangements.
Iwi and Hapū Environmental Management Plans
An Environmental Management Plan is a document prepared by an iwi or hapū authority that sets out how that group wants their taonga, rohe and cultural values considered in resource management and planning decisions.
Treaty Settlements
When an iwi settles with the Crown, the resulting legislation includes provisions that create direct obligations for regional councils. Our region is one of the last in the country where the settlement process is still actively underway. For us, that means both ongoing obligations and new opportunities to work alongside iwi and hapū as they realise their aspirations.
Iwi and Hapū Contacts
Horizons maintains an iwi and hapū contacts database for the region. This database ensures that our staff are communicating and facilitating connections with the right people.