Te Kotahitanga - Working in partnership

The council is committed to working with Māori and has recognised it as one of our four key areas of focus for the coming years:

"Develop meaningful and inclusive relationships with iwi and tangata whenua within Te rohe o Te Tai Tokerau".

We are working with Māori in a number of ways to help us develop more meaningful relationships and develop Māori capacity to participate in our decision making processes.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi 

Te Tiriti o Waitangi Organisational Review (Te Tiriti Health Check)

Council recognises the importance of a Te Tiriti framework that holds council accountable for its partnership with Māori as tangata whenua and has an ongoing commitment to implement tangible outcomes resulting from recommendations of an independent annual report (in partnership with iwi and hapū).

The Te Tiriti Health Check utilises Te Arawhiti (Office Treaty Settlements) Māori Crown Relations Capability Framework as a basis to measure council’s performance against key performance indicators and benchmarks.

View the latest Te Tiriti Health Check Report (PDF 269 KB)

Tāiki ē! (Te Tiriti Strategy and Implementation Plan)

Tāiki ē is an ingoa (name) that represents council’s intent to a collective commitment that “we come together with our Te Tiriti partners to get the mahi done”.

Tāiki ē endorses the partnership with Te Taitokerau Māori and Council working party, Te Kahu o Taonui, Iwi and Hapū as it aligns with council’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Niu Tireni and strengthens our partnerships with tangata whenua.

It also provides clear strategic direction and priorities at both a governance and operational level, to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Tāiki ē provides a robust implementation plan that demonstrates Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Te Taitokerau context, partnership, and obligations.

View Tāiki ē (Te Tiriti Strategy and Implementation Plan) (PDF 417 KB)

Māori representation

Māori seats on council

The decision to formally introduce Māori representation on council means Māori will have a guaranteed voice around the council table from the next local body elections in 2022.

Read the media release "Regional council votes yes to Māori seats”

Read more about Māori seats for regional council

Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party

The Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party (originally called Te Tai Tokerau Māori Advisory Committee) was established in 2014. Membership of this standing committee consists of nine elected members (councillors) and twenty-one appointed iwi and hapū members from Taitokerau Māori (one representative per iwi and hapū).

Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party Strategic Intent framework 2021-2040 (PDF, 106KB)

Go to the Council & Committees page to see the membership and Terms of Reference

Read agendas and minutes from these meetings

Catchment Groups

As part of its implementation of the National Policy Statement Freshwater, council has set up a number of catchment groups to address the new policy direction. Each of these groups are sub-committees of council and include Māori representatives.

Find out more about our catchment groups and representatives

Kaipara Moana

This ambitious $300 million programme to restore the health and mauri of Kaipara Moana is being undertaken by an equal partnership between Kaipara Uri and councils.

Find out more about the Kaipara Moana Remediation Programme

Priority Rivers

Of the priority rivers identified for flood risk planning, council has set up seven river liaison committees under the Priority Rivers work programme. These are sub-committees of council's Environmental Management Committee and each one has provision for Māori representation.

Find out more about the Priority Rivers project

Working parties

There are also iwi/ Māori representatives appointed to various working parties for planning documents, as and when required. 

Māori Liaison

Our aim is to establish and maintain a close connection with Māori and work together to identify clear processes for consultation and involvement in decision-making.

We recognise that Māori are a culturally distinct group in Northland with different perspectives from the wider community.

We are committed to developing: 

  • Our relationship and engagement with Māori
  • A solid platform for decision making
  • Meaningful and inclusive engagement
  • Services and activities that foster the ability and capacity of Maori to contribute to decision making, and
  • Better outcomes for Māori and Northland 

Getting involved in the consent process

The Resource Management Act (section 36A) does not require an applicant or a local authority to consult any person (including iwi) about an application for resource consent, unless they are required under other legislation to do so, but it also allows an applicant or a local authority to consult any person if it wishes to do so. 

Council's procedure is to send copies of all applications, other than bore installation permits, to marae and iwi where they've registered their interest in applications for resource consent in their rohe/area of interest. This gives marae and iwi an opportunity to raise any specific relationship, cultural and traditional concerns they may have with the application for council to consider as part of processing the consent application.

The council encourages applicants to consult with local marae and iwi prior to lodging applications, to determine whether there are any cultural concerns that need to be addressed as part of the application.

Other legislation that requires consultation

Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011

A record of consultation with the relevant iwi is required as part of any application for resource consent in areas where customary title exists, or has been applied for, under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011. Council cannot accept an application for resource consent in these areas unless this record of consultation is provided with the application. For more information please contact the Northland Regional Council or Office of Treaty Settlements.