Whanganui residents have been told that embedding a council partnership with Māori into New Zealand law will support a “positive and necessary” shift.

Whanganui District Council will next month decide on proposals put forward for the Treaty of Waitangi settlement being negotiated by Whanganui iwi and hapū.

The proposals would embed into Treaty settlement legislation how the council partners with Takapau Whariki, the proposed post-settlement governance entity (PSGE) for Whanganui Māori.

Around 350 people attended two information sessions co-hosted by the Whanganui Land Settlement Negotiation Trust (WLSNT) and the council in December about proposals that would legislate the council’s post-Treaty settlement relationship with hapū and iwi.

As part of redress for breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Whanganui Māori are proposing a platform for joint initiatives.

The three elements of the platform are to:

• adopt a legally binding iwi-council relationship agreement, Te Tomokanga ki Te Matapihi, which would also apply to future councils;
• enter into a Statutory Reserves Board, Ngā Tūtei a Maru, to manage specific reserves;
• agree to the establishment of a charitable trust, Toitū te Whānau, through which the council and iwi would take a joint approach to social wellbeing.

At its meeting on 13 February, the council will consider signing up to the binding partnership – described in December by mayor Andrew Tripe as an unprecedented opportunity and “a world-first indigenous-council partnership”.

Negotiations between WLSNT and the Crown are expected to be finalised early this year.

The council must make decisions on the proposals ahead of this.

Answering questions put by the community, the council said on its website that partnership opportunities integrated into the settlement would bring benefits to the entire community.

“It’s clear that a one-size-fits-all approach from central government is not working.

“By partnering with Whanganui Land Settlement, we are leading a shift towards local solutions for local issues, which is a positive and necessary step.

“As community leaders, we have a deeper understanding of our people’s needs, challenges and strengths, enabling us to create tailored, effective solutions that central government cannot.

“Together, we can develop approaches that truly reflect the unique needs of our community.”

Asked about the cost of the initiatives and who would pay, the council said there were no additional costs to the council at this stage for the three initiatives.

“The relationship agreement focuses on working together in a values-based way to benefit the Whanganui community, emphasising open communication and transparency,” the council said.

“The direct costs to ratepayers are expected to be very small.”

To set up a Statutory Reserves Board, WLSNT would provide a $500,000 fund.

There would be no changes in the immediate term to council costs for reserve management.

“The council will continue to maintain the reserves as it does now, ensuring the cost to ratepayers remains minimal.

“Reserve management planning will flow into long term and annual budgeting processes, as it currently does.”

Board fees for appointees would not be significant.

The council said the cost of maintaining reserves as shared public spaces would continue to be funded through rates.

“Moving the administrator status from the council to a joint Statutory Board will not result in any change or additional impact on ratepayers for reserve management.”

Ownership of reserves would remain with the Crown.

“The only change being proposed is that the administration of these specific reserves under the Reserves Act will shift from the council to a joint statutory board.”

That decision had been made through the Treaty settlement process by the Crown, not the council.

The Pākaitore Moutoa Gardens Historic Reserve would be transferred from Crown ownership to the PSGE and administered by the joint board.

The Council (and/or community groups) would continue to own and maintain the buildings at Pukenamu Queens Park and at the Gonville/Tawhero Domain.

Costs for the social wellbeing entity Toitū te Whānau were still being determined.

“WLSNT are still in the early stages of developing and shaping this concept in partnership with Crown agencies,” the council said.

“In the immediate term the Crown agencies who will work with this initiative will bring their own resourcing and cover their own costs.”

WLSNT would also contribute to establishment costs, the council said.

Collaboration, not control

Asked why the proposed relationship agreement had not been made available to the public, the council said the agreement was designed “to foster collaboration, not control”.

“It’s about building a strong, cooperative partnership to address issues and opportunities effectively.”

The concept of the relationship agreement had been in the public arena since negotiations began and was outlined in the WLSNT Agreement in Principle, signed on 30 August 2019.

The council could not share the draft agreement because negotiations were still underway.

“Any early release would cause prejudice to the goodwill of the parties and the collaboration described above. It could also affect the progress of the negotiations.”

The council expects the relationship agreement will be released to the public in the meeting agenda for 13 February.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air