Ngāti Toa stand firm in their views
“Fit for purpose, modern and innovative for now and for future generations”.
Porirua City Council appointed an independent Hearings Panel to hear submissions on the Porirua Proposed District Plan.
District Plans are the rule books for the City that directs how whenua is used and what one can and cannot do on the whenua.
The plan deals with the major planning and environmental issues facing the city. Therefore, it is a significant regulatory instrument for iwi to achieve our aspirations and implement Ngāti Toatanga.
The Rūnanga has been very active throughout the Porirua City Council’s Hearings Stream. We presented at Hearing Stream 3 and 4 where chapters of sites and area’s of significance to Māori and Three Waters were heard by the Independent Hearings Panel.
The latest Hearing Stream on 15th February 2022, saw our Pou Toa Matarau, Naomi Solomon speaking to the Three Waters Chapter. Naomi’s statement focused on the concept of hydraulic neutrality.
“Ngāti Toa have concerns around the concept of hydraulic neutrality, which essentially means that developers cannot make things any worse than they already are, but the system is currently broken”.
What we are saying is that the concept of hydraulic neutrality does nothing to turn the dial to make things better.
“We would like to see a plan that is enabling and provides for development, but in a way that ensures not only protection, but improvement of our environment, our Te Awarua-ō-Porirua and Te Moana-ō-Raukawa”.
Naomi added that, “We would encourage Porirua City Council and the panel to ensure that this plan, particularly in relation to three waters, is bold and innovative. We don’t need more of the same, bigger pipes and giant retention tanks are not the only solution”.
“We take the view that we are at a point in time where we can and should make the step changes required to ensure that our systems are fit for purpose, modern and innovative for now and for future generations. “
Check out the full Hearing above! Skip to 1:12:24 - 1:47:15 to hear Naomi Solomon & Onur Oktem kōrero!