Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board makes a submission to the Minister of the Environment on behalf of Ngāti Tūwharetoa in relation to the Exposure draft for the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 (the NPS-FM 2020) and the National Environmental Standard for Fresh Water 2020 (the NES-FW 2020).
There are 11 recommendations (submissions), relating to Waikato Awa.
They are summarised below:
- Ngāti Tūwharetoa are linked by whakapapa to their lands and their taonga. This connection establishes their mana whenua, kaitiakitanga and rangatiratanga, including their right to establish and maintain a meaningful and sustainable relationship between hapū, whānau and their taonga.
- The Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board has an inherent obligation to ensure that the mauri, and the physical and spiritual health of their environment, specifically Taupō Waters and the Waikato River, is maintained, protected, and enhanced.
- Expressions of our intrinsic connection to Nga wai o Tūwharetoa have been well documented through our iwi planning documents, Joint Management Agreement with Taupō District Council, and the Waikato Regional Council, as well as reflected at a national level through legislation such as the National Policy Statement for Freshwater – Te Mana o te Wai. The Trust Board will continue to express our position through participation in numerous planning and policy processes.
- Te Mana o te Wai which requires responsible and sustainable use of the water resource in the district and is considered a valuable and pertinent overarching principle to include here to ensure that the first right of water goes to water and that any ‘human’ use of water is considered secondary to the water itself.
- The Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board support the submissions made by Raukawa Charitable Trust, Maniapoto Māori Trust Board, Te Arawa River Iwi Trust, and Waikato-Tainui.
The trust board does not wish to be heard in support of the submission at a hearing.
The submission is available here.