Planning consultants Tim Ensor and Gerard Willis testified in the High Court that tangata whenua, especially Ngāi Tahu, hold significant influence over freshwater policy and decisions, emphasizing their involvement in resource consent processes and plan-making. While Ngāi Tahu argued for a new regime recognizing their entitlements, the effectiveness of current processes in ensuring their input was questioned by Ngāi Tahu witness Edward Ellison. Despite examples of influence cited by Ensor, such as membership on committees and cultural values directives, the declaration sought by Ngāi Tahu for recognition of rangatiratanga over freshwater highlights ongoing challenges and frustrations faced by the iwi in freshwater planning processes.
Full Article
Saving our native species trickier than we thought
Life on Earth is experiencing a sixth mass extinction, with over 60 species in Aotearoa extinct since human arrival. Conservation efforts in New Zealand have focused on predator control, but invasive species, habitat loss, climate change, disrupted ecosystems, and human interactions are also contributing to species decline. Three species facing survival challenges include the tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern), migratory galaxiids (whitebait species), and pāteke (brown teal), highlighting the need for a broader, research-backed...
Read more