Policy 2: The Treaty of Waitangi, tangata whenua and Māori

Introduction

Read policy about the Treaty of Waitangi, tangata whenua and Māori heritage, from the NZ Coastal Policy Statement 2010.

In taking account of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi (Te Tiriti o Waitangi), and kaitiakitanga, in relation to the coastal environment:

  1. recognise that tangata whenua have traditional and continuing cultural relationships with areas of the coastal environment, including places where they have lived and fished for generations;
  2. involve iwi authorities or hapū on behalf of tangata whenua in the preparation of regional policy statements, and plans, by undertaking effective consultation with tangata whenua; with such consultation to be early, meaningful, and as far as practicable in accordance with tikanga Māori;
  3. with the consent of tangata whenua and as far as practicable in accordance with tikanga Māori, incorporate mātauranga Māori1 in regional policy statements, in plans, and in the consideration of applications for resource consents, notices of requirement for designation and private plan changes;
  4. provide opportunities in appropriate circumstances for Māori involvement in decision making, for example when a consent application or notice of requirement is dealing with cultural localities or issues of cultural significance, and Māori experts, including pūkenga2, may have knowledge not otherwise available;
  5. take into account any relevant iwi resource management plan and any other relevant planning document recognised by the appropriate iwi authority or hapū and lodged with the council, to the extent that its content has a bearing on resource management issues in the region or district; and
    1. where appropriate incorporate references to, or material from, iwi resource management plans in regional policy statements and in plans; and
    2. consider providing practical assistance to iwi or hapū who have indicated a wish to develop iwi resource management plans;
  6. provide for opportunities for tangata whenua to exercise kaitiakitanga over waters, forests, lands, and fisheries in the coastal environment through such measures as:
    1. bringing cultural understanding to monitoring of natural resources;
    2. providing appropriate methods for the management, maintenance and protection of the taonga of tangata whenua;
    3. having regard to regulations, rules or bylaws relating to ensuring sustainability of fisheries resources such as taiāpure, mahinga mātaitai or other non commercial Māori customary fishing;
  7. in consultation and collaboration with tangata whenua, working as far as practicable in accordance with tikanga Māori, and recognising that tangata whenua have the right to choose not to identify places or values of historic, cultural or spiritual significance or special value:
    1. recognise the importance of Māori cultural and heritage values through such methods as historic heritage, landscape and cultural impact assessments; and
    2. provide for the identification, assessment, protection and management of areas or sites of significance or special value to Māori, including by historic analysis and archaeological survey and the development of methods such as alert layers and predictive methodologies for identifying areas of high potential for undiscovered Māori heritage, for example coastal pā or fishing villages.

1Mātauranga Māori – as defined in the Glossary.

2Pūkenga – as defined in the Glossary.

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