Extreme weather thwarts Three Waters iwi regional representative group launch event

Susan Botting, Local Democracy Reporter

Northland’s red heavy rain warning and extreme upper North Island weather have thwarted plans for a major milestone event in New Zealand’s Three Waters restructure at Waitangi Treaty Grounds on Tuesday.

More than 200 people from Northland and Auckland were to gather in the Waitangi Treaty Grounds’ new glass marquee as part of formally launching the top-of-New Zealand Three Waters Entity A’s iwi regional representative group Waipuna aa rangi in a national first.

“Given the ongoing extreme weather events, and the latest red weather warning for Northland, the decision has been made to postpone [the] Entity A Iwi Regional Representation Group launch event, until further notice,” organisers said.

“Our immediate priority is to keep whānau safe by minimising travel in these conditions, and be available to respond to requests of support.”

A who’s who of Three Waters Entity A Māori governance and general leadership was expected at the launch, which is still going ahead but without the now-postponed formal Waitangi event. An alternative is to be organised at a later date.

Waipuna aa rangi seven-person membership is made up of Northland and Auckland iwi.

It includes Ngāti Hine leader Pita Tipene, Ngāti Wai leader Aperahama Edwards and Te Rarawa leader Haami Piripi, who will all be Waipuna aa rangi governors – along with Ngāti Whātua leader Anahera Morehu.

Waikato’s Tainui leader Tukoroirangi Morgan will chair the group. Ngāti Manuhiri leader Mook Hohneck is deputy-chair. Those behind the launch said all iwi and hapū within Entity A were entitled to be involved in the design, establishment and implementation of the entity’s key transition workstreams.

All Waipuna aa rangi were to be present at the launch. Newly-appointed Entity A chief executive Jon Lamont, shifting from being Auckland Council’s Watercare chief executive to the new role, was also to be in attendance.

Far North Kahikā (Mayor) Moko Tepania was to be among those who were to speak.

Waipuna aa rangi represents the interests of 45 hapū and iwi across Entity A which stretches almost 500km from Cape Reinga in the north to near Pukekohe in the south and is home to more than 1.8 million people.

It covers the geographic area where drinking water, wastewater and stormwater provision is currently helmed by Whangārei District Council, Far North District Council, Kaipara District Council and Auckland Council’s Watercare. This will shift to the new body which covers more than 18,500sq km.

Waipuna aa rangi will be part of an Entity A regional representative group providing joint entity oversight through an equal number of people from mana whenua and Entity A’s councils.

This entity will service 1.858 million people – replacing the currently fully council-run KDC servicing the needs of 27,200 Kaipara residents, FNDC servicing almost 73,800 Far North residents and WDC servicing 100,000 Whangārei residents, as well as Auckland Council’s Watercare servicing 1.657 million people

Tipene gifted the iwi regional representative’s name. Waipuna aa rangi is a star in the Matariki/Puanga cluster. It is associated with the rain, precipitation and water that pools. It emphasises the relationship water has to the human life cycle, how it is evaporated from rivers and oceans and lakes to fall again as precipitation which is used for drinking and in many other ways.

Waipua aa rangi recognises the importance of clean healthy water to nourish people and for maintaining the health of water bodies, freshwater ecosystems and the communities that rely on these.

It is also seen as heralding the future.

The Government is planning four giant inter-regional Three Waters water services entities across New Zealand.