Waikato Regional Council places a strong and enduring value on its partnership with iwi, recognising that these relationships are essential to the wellbeing and future of our region.
Our approach is grounded in openness, transparency and mutual respect, and we are committed to working alongside iwi as genuine partners.
This commitment is reflected in the formal partnership structures we share with iwi. These include co‑management arrangements, mana whakahono and a range of ongoing collaborative relationships that guide how we collectively care for land, waterways and cultural heritage, and realise tangata whenua and community outcomes.
Co-management arrangements
Co-management provides iwi with mechanisms to manage natural resources in partnership with central and local government. Derived from provisions within iwi-specific Treaty settlement legislation, these arrangements include joint management agreements (JMAs) between iwi and the council and joint management committees (JMCs) with appointed representatives from both parties.
Waikato Regional Council has signed JMAs with five iwi entities across the region, including Raukawa Settlement Trust, Te Arawa River Iwi Trust, Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board, Te Nehenehenui and Waikato-Tainui.
Each agreement outlines agreed processes to enable iwi input into resource consents, environmental monitoring, enforcement and policy and planning matters.
Mana Whakahono ā Rohe
A Mana Whakahono ā Rohe is a formal agreement between an iwi or hapū and a local authority. It sets out how they’ll work together on decisions about the environment and resource management.
Several iwi authorities in the Waikato region have initiated a Mana Whakahono arrangement with the council, and we are currently progressing through the development of these agreements. This webpage will be updated as each agreement is completed.
Iwi environmental management plans
An iwi environmental management plan is a strategic document developed and formally endorsed by iwi to guide how matters of resource management are addressed within their rohe (tribal area).
These plans typically outline:
- Cultural values important to the iwi.
- Historical context and narratives.
- Areas of interest, including hapū and iwi boundaries.
- Engagement protocols for resource consents and plan changes.
Iwi environmental management plans play a significant role in regional decision making. Councils must take them into account when managing natural resources, ensuring that iwi perspectives, priorities and rights are meaningfully incorporated into policies, plans and activities.