'Deluge' of opposition to Hauraki Gulf co-governace, say forum co-chairs

Sunday, 22 May 2022

Gannets dive for fish in the Hauraki Gulf. The area is one of the most heavily used but depleted recreational fisheries n the country.

A “deluge” of opposition to co-governance plans for the Hauraki Gulf Forum – but also support from ministers – is being reported by the organisation’s co-chairs.

The forum has a wide range of responsibilities for oversight of the gulf – one of the country’s most heavily used and recreationally fished marine areas.

Two months ago forum members voted 11-7 for an advocacy paper, which included a call for a 50-50 co-governance split between mana whenua and Crown and local government representatives.

Such a shift is said to be aimed at giving effect to the forum’s commitment to a Treaty of Waitangi-based partnership model.

Hauraki Gulf Forum co-chairs Nicola MacDonald (left) and Pippa Coom have reported a “deluge” of opposition to the idea of 50-50 co-governance but are carrying on advocating for such a move.

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Hauraki Gulf Forum executive officer Alex Rogers (left), Pippa Coom (co-chair), Environment Minister David Parker, Nicola MacDonald (co-chair) and Conservation Minister Kiri Allan at Parliament earlier this month.

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That co-governance idea was not voted for by some Waikato council representatives on the forum, with one saying he’d prefer to have a majority of representatives coming from councillors elected by the public.

In a report for the forum’s hui on May 23, co-chairs Pippa Coom (Auckland Council) and Nicola MacDonald (tangata whenua) say “we have had to deal with a deluge of [Official Information Act] requests, letters, emails and media posts from those opposed to our decision” on co-governance.

In an interview, MacDonald said the OIAs queried the forum’s ability to make such a call, while forum staff said 95% of other communications focused on challenging the co-governance idea. There were “thousands” of emails, letters and auto-submissions.

Hauraki Gulf Forum co-chair Nicola MacDonald says co-governance is nothing to be afraid of “in fact we should embrace it”.

However, MacDonald (Ngāti Rehua, Ngāti Wai) said both Environment Minister David Parker and Conservation Minister Kiri Allan were open to the co-governance model suggested, and supportive of various recommendations.

Current workloads and the looming 2023 elections meant legislation on the advocacy paper’s recommendations would not be advanced this parliamentary term but ministers recognised the forum had made suggestions for moving forward.

“We were quite pleased with that response,” said MacDonald.

She believed the tone of the messages sent to the forum was influenced by debate over the Three Waters reforms, plus a lack of understanding about what co-governance meant in practice and of how the forum couldn’t unilaterally adopt 50-50 co-governance (which needs legislative change).

“What we could see was huge anxieties and real deep-seated concerns that the forum was running away with itself.”

MacDonald was very disappointed by suggestions she saw that tangata whenua “carried less weight” in the eyes of some.

“It’s irrelevant whether you’re an elected councillor or you’re a member of tangata whenua. Everyone is appointed by the minister.

“So there was this thinking that tangata whenua are going to take the gulf away from us…it was becoming in many ways a race topic…,” she said.

However, a forum poll last year – to which around 1000 people responded – indicated just under 70% support for indigenous management practices, with 25-40 years olds and non-Māori particularly supportive.

MacDonald felt 50-50 co-governance gave better effect to the Treaty partnership between Māori and the Crown.

“It’s nothing to be afraid of, in fact we should embrace it.”

Asked what she’d say to those who wanted greater “democratically elected” councillor representation on the forum than tangata whenua, MacDonald said: “Most elected representatives have a term of three years. Tangata whenua, we’re there for life.”