Taupō iwi offers scrutiny of joint management plan
Saturday, 5 July 2025
Tūwharetoa has welcomed scrutiny of its joint management agreement with Taupō’s council after concerns were raised over the timing and contents of the updated document.
On Thursday, the Taupō District Council held an open “information only” workshop where about 60 members of the public showed up to hear an update on a review of a 2009 joint management agreement (JMA) with Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board.
A few days before the workshop, Taupō District councillor Duncan Campbell said he was concerned about the agreement’s financial implications, “Treaty-framed governance language”, and the absence of any planned public consultation.
Campbell enlisted lobby group Hobson’s Pledge to advertise his concerns to a wider audience, and to “seek independent scrutiny”.
On Friday, the trust board and council released the draft agreement for public scrutiny saying on social media that “people are talking, and asking good questions”, and that interest in the agreement “was a good thing”.
The council said the purpose of the draft JMA was to protect the water of Lake Taupō (Taupō Moana) and the upper Waikato River, and fulfilled legislative requirements under the Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Raukawa, and Te Arawa River Iwi Waikato River Act 2010.
“This agreement will enable the shared protection and restoration of these waterways for future generations.”
It will see both organisations collaborate on work such as monitoring and enforcement, district plan reviews, resource consent application assessments, and enabling customary activities.
“These are all mandatory matters under the legislation,” the council said.
Taupō mayor David Trewavas welcomed the draft agreement, which he says emphasises the health of the waterways is intrinsically linked to the health of the wider district, its communities, its economy and its people.
“With the trust board representing Ngāti Tūwharetoa as mana whenua and legal owners of the waterways and the Taupō District Council as the local authority, it makes sense for us to work together to protect and restore our beautiful lake and rivers for the benefit of everyone.”
In a statement, trust board chairman John Bishara said the agreement was “a tool to make sure the voice of Ngāti Tūwharetoa is present in decisions about our moana, our awa and our whenua … and reflects our legal role as owners of the Taupō lakebed”.
Bishara wanted to make clear the agreement did not give the board the right to speak for hapū, or affect public access to Taupō Moana.
He said it did strengthen the relationship between the council and mana whenua, and upheld the intent of Treaty settlement legislation.
“This kaupapa isn’t about politics - it’s about responsibility,” he said.
“We’re doing what we’re here to do - uphold our mana, protect our wai, and serve our people.”
Public access to Taupō Moana for recreation remains under the separate Taupō-nui-a-Tia Management Plan.
The draft agreement also creates new opportunities for the community to contribute to waterway restoration, reflecting their shared importance to the people of the district.
The draft JMA will go to councillors for their consideration at meeting on Thursday, July 31.