Cultural Impact Assessments
with Ngāti Kuku | BAY OF PLENTY
The why!
Ngāti Kuku, a hapū of the Ngāi Te Rangi iwi of Tauranga Moana, had land at Otūmoetai taken (the Confiscated Block). In the following decades, more Ngāti Kuku land was taken as compulsory acquisitions under public works legislation, this time in the Whareroa Block. This taken land was used to build Tauranga Airport, the Mount Maunganui section of the Port, and the entire Mount Maunganui industrial area. Over time, Whareroa Marae has gradually been hemmed in; surrounded by the Port of Tauranga and associated infrastructure, heavy industry, Tauranga Airport, and the Tauranga Harbour Bridge. The marae is now surrounded by pollution with the Mount Maunganui industrial area declared a polluted airshed in 2019.
How are we assisting?
In recent years, Ngāti Kuku rangatira have been heavily engaged in consenting and plan change processes relating to heavy industry occurring within their rohe. TCG were engaged Ngāti Kuku’s principal resource management advisors and have been working alongside hapū providing strategy, planning, and science support into consenting, plan change, and policy development processes. This has at times included some pro-bono support of the hapū.
In the past year, TCG has been working alongside Ngāti Kuku and Whareroa Marae to prepare cultural impact assessments (CIAs) in response to consent applications by several of Ngāti Kuku’s heavy industry neighbours. Consents are being sought to continue to discharge to air and water or undertake other activities with impacts that degrade the mauri of the taiao, and impact on the wellbeing of Ngāti Kuku, with applicants including Allied Asphalt, Genera, Lawter, Hexion, Ixom, J.Swamp, Waka Kotahi, Waste Management NZ Ltd, and the Tauranga Airport to name a few.
The pressure on Ngāti Kuku and Whareroa Marae to respond to the natural resource management issues within their rohe is immense and constant. This pressure will only increase as Plan Change 13, Policy 12 of the Bay of Plenty Regional Plan takes effect, requiring hundreds of applications for discharges of pollutants to air to be reconsented.
TCG will continue to ensure Ngāti Kuku’s rights and interests are reflected into these processes, and we are also working with them to prepare their hapū management plan.
