TE Runanga o Ngati Awa say they will appeal the decision to allow Cresswell NZ more than a million cubic metres of water because the outcome showed a lack of regard for the tribe.
It also said the decision lacked regard for the Mataatua Declaration on Water.
Formed to represent the interest of the Chinese business giant, Nong Fu, in New Zealand, Cresswell NZ was granted a resource consent to increase the amount of groundwater taken by the Otakiri Springs bottling plant to an annual allocation of 1.1 million cubic meters of water.
Cresswell NZ was also granted a resource consent to undertake earthworks associated with increased production and to discharge wastewater.
In a statement released this morning, the runanga announced it had lodged an appeal to the Environment Court and invited other parties opposing the consents to join it by becoming an interested party to the action.
The runanga appealed because the commissioner’s decision concluded that there were no adverse effects on the Awaiti aquifer; no adverse cultural effects, lacked regard to Ngati Awa’s relationships with the Tarawera River, Awaiti aquifer and Otaikiri springs, failed to consider the Mataatua Declaration on Water.
It sought for the consents be declined, or if approved then appropriate conditions must be established to address the adverse effects identified by it.
Chief executive Leonie Simpson said the extraction was from the Awaiti aquifer in the Rangitaiki and Tarawera rivers catchments, and in the tribal boundaries of Ngati Awa.
There were three existing water bottling consents taking water from the Awaiti aquifer, held by Otakiri Springs, Oravida and Distinction water bottling companies.
“The Te Runanga o Ngati Awa board, which represents 22 hapū of Ngāti Awa, unanimously support the appeal because they are seriously concerned about the irreversible harm to this aquifer, the people and the land, and the undermining of our status as kaitiaki and tangata whenua.”
Ms Simpson said the runanga remained concerned about the current consent regime, where regional council continues to grant consents for water bottling despite no regulations existing, and standards and limits for water quality as well as quantity were still being developed in the Rangitaiki catchment.
“While this consenting regime is outside of the grounds Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa can appeal, Te Runanga o Ngati Awa, and Ngati Awa hapu will continue to advocate for a consent regime that recognises and provides for hapu and iwi interests in freshwater, that complies with legislation, and Council policies.”
She said the land and water forum report to Ministers released in May 2018 recommended that the government “move quickly…to resolve iwi rights and interests and create a long-term framework”.
“Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa support this recommendation and are seeking to progress discussions with the Crown as a Treaty partner and tangata whenua.
“The ability for Nongfu to purchase this water bottling operation has been enabled by the Government, despite iwi, hapu and community opposition. At every turn, Te Runanga o Ngati Awa has had to advocate for transparency and accountability by local and central government, namely making the consent hearing public, and the participation of hapu, iwi and community in decisions that affect us.”
Anyone considering on joining the appeal as a section 274 interested party were encouraged to make contact with the runanga’s strategy and policy manager, Beverley Hughes.