Māori Participation

• funding for iwi/hapū participation in RMA processes

• iwi/hapū input into resource consents and plans

• advice to resource consent applicants on iwi/hapū interests.

Both the number and percentage of local authorities that provide opportunities for iwi/hapū participation in RMA processes are provided in this section to allow for a more accurate comparison between survey periods. This is because the number of local authorities responding to each question can vary between surveys, which influences the results when they are presented as percentages.

Funding for Māori participation in RMA processes

Local authorities were asked whether they made a budgetary commitment to iwi/hapū participation in RMA processes. The 2007/2008 survey included two new questions about this kind of funding.

The first question (appendix 6, question 5.7) asked local authorities if they committed funds for iwi/hapū participation in resource management plan preparation and plan change processes during 2007/2008. Forty-five per cent of local authorities (38 out of 84) advised that they did.

The second question (appendix 6, question 5.8) asked local authorities if they committed funds for iwi/hapū participation in resource consent processes during 2007/2008. Forty per cent of local authorities (34 out of 84) advised that they did. Twenty-five local authorities (30 per cent) answered ‘yes’ to both budget questions.

By combining the responses to questions 5.7 and 5.8, the 2007/2008 results can be compared to previous surveys. In 2007/2008, 56 per cent of local authorities (47 out of 84) made some sort of budgetary commitment for iwi/hapū participation in either plan preparation and plan change processes or resource consent processes. This is an increase from 2005/2006, when 38 per cent (32) of all local authorities made a budgetary commitment.

Figure 30 shows fluctuations in the proportion of local authorities making a financial commitment to iwi/hapū participation in RMA processes over the past 10 years. The 2007/2008 figure is within the range of commitment from local authorities over the past six surveys.

Figure 30: Percentage of local authorities making a budgetary commitment to iwi/hapū participation in RMA processes, 1997/1998–2007/2008

 

Survey period	Percentage of local authorities making a budgetary commitment (%)
1997/1998	58
1998/1999	63
1999/2000	65
2001/2002	49
2003/2004	56
2005/2006	38
2007/2008	56

Source: 2007/2008 RMA survey data and published survey reports for the periods indicated.

Note: The question on budgetary commitment was split into two for the first time in 2007/2008. By determining the total number of local authorities that answered ‘yes’ to at least one of the questions, the 2007/2008 results can be compared to previous survey results.

Māori input into resource consents and plans

Local authorities were asked whether they have written criteria or a set policy for staff to determine when iwi/hapū are considered an affected party to resource consent applications and should be made aware of an application (appendix 6, question 5.4).

In 2007/2008, 60 per cent (50 out of 84) of local authorities reported they had written criteria or a set policy. This is very similar to the last survey, when 59 per cent (50 out of 85) reported on this.

Figure 31 shows the results for seven survey periods. Minor fluctuations have occurred since 1998/1999 following a low result in 1997/1998.

Figure 31: Percentage of local authorities with written criteria or a set policy to determine when iwi/hapū are considered an affected party, 1997/1998–2007/2008

 

Survey period	Percentage of local authorities with written criteria or a set policy (%)
1997/1998	35
1998/1999	66
1999/2000	61
2001/2002	59
2003/2004	65
2005/2006	59
2007/2008	60

Source: 2007/2008 RMA survey data and published survey reports for the periods indicated.

Note: The survey question on which this figure was based was amended in 2005/2006 to clarify its intent. Nonetheless, the response from each survey period remains comparable.

Consent conditions, monitoring and memoranda of understanding

Table 19 records the number and percentage of local authorities that seek iwi/hapū input into various aspects of the resource consent and plan-making processes. Local authorities were asked whether they have standard resource consent conditions to cover the discovery of significant sites or items to iwi/hapū (appendix 6, question 5.6).

In 2007/2008, 88 per cent of local authorities had these standard resource consent conditions. There was little change between this result and the 2005/2006 result of 89 per cent.

Local authorities were asked whether they involved iwi/hapū in resource consent monitoring (appendix 6, question 5.10). In 2007/2008, the proportion was 24 per cent, similar to the 2005/2006 result of 21 per cent.

Local authorities were also asked whether they have formal and/or informal agreements with iwi/hapū such as memoranda of understanding, protocols, joint management agreements or service-level agreements (appendix 6, question 5.12). In 2007/2008, 57 per cent of local authorities had formal agreements, down from 61 per cent in 2005/2006. Sixty-three per cent of local authorities had informal agreements in 2007/2008, up from 54 per cent in 2005/2006.

Table 19: Number and percentage of local authorities with iwi/hapū input into consents and plans, 2005/2006 and 2007/2008

Source: 2007/2008 and 2005/2006 RMA survey data.

* In 2007/2008, 83 local authorities responded to the question regarding informal agreements.

Note:

The (n = ##) in table 19 refers to the number of local authorities that answered the question on which this analysis is based.

Maintaining records and documents of iwi and hapū groups

The 2007/2008 survey was the first time that local authorities were asked whether they keep and maintain records of each iwi and hapū group in their region/district, and records of documents lodged with them by iwi/hapū, such as iwi management plans (under section 35A of the RMA) (appendix 6, question 5.1).

Ninety per cent of local authorities (76 out of 84) said they keep and maintain records of each iwi and hapū group in their region/district, as required under section 35A. As well, 77 per cent of local authorities (64 out of 83) said they keep and maintain records of the documents that iwi/hapū groups lodge with them, as required under section 35A.

Advice to resource consent applicants on Māori interests

Local authorities were asked whether they provided advice or an indication to applicants that their resource consent application may by of interest or concern to iwi/hapū, and whether this generally occurs before or after an application is formally lodged (appendix 6, questions 5.2, 5.3).

In 2007/2008, 99 per cent (83 out of 84) of local authorities provided advice in this way, similar to the result in 2005/2006, when 96 per cent (82 out of 85) did so.

Of the 83 local authorities that indicated iwi/hapū interest or concern to applicants, 60 per cent (50) said this generally occurred before an application was lodged, while 40 per cent (33) said it generally occurred after. This compares to 68 per cent (56) and 32 per cent (26), respectively, in 2005/2006. Although local authorities were asked to choose the option that generally occurred, it is worth noting that some provide this information both before and after applications are formally lodged.

Local authorities were asked whether they had a policy requiring a cultural impact assessment as part of an application when a site, species or resource is of concern to iwi/hapū (appendix 6, question 5.5).

In 2007/2008, 30 per cent (25 out of 84) of local authorities had such a policy. The proportion is similar to the 2005/2006 result of 32 per cent (27 out of 85).