Waitaha Relationship Agreement

Waitaki District Council and the Waitaha Taiwhenua O Waitaki Trust Board will sign a relationship agreement tomorrow. The relationship agreement will be signed at a ceremony in Oamaru by Waitaki District Council Mayor Alex Familton and Waitaha Taiwhenua O Waitaki Trust Chairperson Anne Te Maiharoa-Dodds.

Mayor Alex Familton said the relationship agreement ‘marked another significant milestone for Maori and local government in Waitaki’. The agreement establishes mechanisms and processes to promote effective consultations and liaison between the Council and the Waitaha Taiwhenua o Waitaki Trust Board.

Waitaha Taiwhenua O Waitaki Trust Chairperson Anne Te Maiharoa-Dodds said the relationship agreement was ‘valuable’ in that it would help formalise communication and consultation with the Council on a range of issues including:

· Cultural interpretation

· Artifacts pertaining to Waitaha

· Historical recordings

· Wahi tapu (sacred places)

· Koiwi (human bones)

· Mahinga kai (food)

The relationship agreement is governed by a number of principles, including amongst other things, a commitment to work in partnership, mutual respect, trust and integrity.

Thunes Cloete, Waitaki District Council Community Services Manager said that ‘it will be extremely satisfying to the see the relationship agreement with Waitaha Taiwhenua o Waitaki Trust Board concluded’ and that he, like other members of the Council would look forward to working with Waitaha Taiwhenua o Waitaki Trust Board on issues, such as the Council’s draft long term plan over the coming year.

This latest relationship agreement with Waitaha Taiwhenua O Waitaki Trust Board was condoned by Te Runanga O Moeraki and complements the Council’s existing memorandum of understanding with the Runanga.