Ground-Breaking Agreement in Line for Award

A ground-breaking agreement between Ngati Tawhirikura hapu and New Plymouth District Council is a finalist for a prestigious national award.

The Rewa Rewa agreement, which was signed in June last year, is one of only two projects to be named a finalist for the Crown-Māori Relationships category of the 2008 IPANZ GEN-I Public Sector Excellence Awards (formerly the Bearing Point Innovation Awards.)

The other finalist is the Far North District Council for its Tai Tokerau iwi chief executives and local/regional government engagement model.

“Being one of only two finalists for this category is huge recognition of the significance of the Rewa Rewa agreement, which created a new way for mana whenua and local government in New Zealand to work together,” says Iwi Relationships Coordinator Aroha Chamberlain.

The agreement formalises the joint management of the 26ha Rewa Rewa Reserve in Waiwhakaiho by the council and Ngati Tawirikura. The land was owned by the Ministry of Defence until being declared surplus in 1999, and bought by NPDC in June 2005.

Under the agreement, Ngati Tawhirikura is able to plan developments for the cultural benefit of the hapu as well as the wider community; while the council can use a coastal strip for the future extension north of New Plymouth’s Coastal Walkway – currently 7km long – with the remainder of the land being managed as a public reserve.

In August last year NPDC received a commendation in the 2007 New Zealand Post Management Excellence Awards for the Rewa Rewa agreement.

The finalists for the IPANZ (Institute of Public Administration New Zealand) awards were announced at a ceremony in Wellington on Monday (17 March).

The winners and the Prime Minister’s Award for Public Sector Excellence, the recipient of which will be selected from among the award winners, will be announced on 27 May.