The Auckland Council has approved a Deed of Acknowledgement with local iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki. The Deed identifies specific opportunities for the iwi to be formally involved in the management of public land within the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area.
The Deed will now be submitted to Te Kawerau ā Maki and the Department of Conservation (DoC) for their approval.
Key features of the Deed include:
- Joint development of a strategic plan for the area
- Joint development of work programmes to achieve the strategic plan outcomes
- Joint monitoring of both the strategic outcomes and the Heritage Area itself
To implement the Deed and enable the parties to work together, the Policy and Planning Committee has agreed to establish a joint committee under the Local Government Act 2002:
- The committee will be named the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Forum
- The joint committee’s function is to provide advice and recommendations
- The proposed membership includes 11 representatives: 3 from Local Boards, 2 from the Governing Body, 1 from the Department of Conservation, and 5 from Te Kawerau ā Maki.
During debate on the Deed at the Auckland Council Policy and Planning Committee meeting on 14 August, council staff reported that public feedback indicated a desire for control to remain with elected members. Therefore, it was recommended that the committee’s powers be limited to providing advice and advocacy, and making recommendations to the council and DoC, as this preserves democratic accountability.
Despite this reassuring development, it is worth noting that Auckland’s elected representatives will be outnumbered on the Forum. Furthermore, the Forum provides a platform for the Governing Body to delegate responsibilities, powers, and functions in the future, which it can do under the Local Government Act.
Moreover, when Cr. Walker asked who the unelected members of the Forum would be accountable to, council officer Nick Turoa replied that they would be accountable to the Terms of Reference! Additionally, it must be noted that the Terms of Reference state that “they may be reviewed and amended at any time by agreement between the Forum members.
As Local Board member Sandra Coney commented, there is a lot to be worked out yet, and it will probably evolve over time.
Only a handful of councillors expressed reservations and took a principled stand by voting against the establishment of the joint committee. These were Ken Turner, Mike Lee, John Watson, Wayne Walker and Sharon Stewart.
References
Public consultation report on the proposed Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Deed of Acknowledgement
For further information, see Democracy Action newsletter articles linked below.
July 2025: Waitākere Ranges Proposed Deed of Acknowledgement - What's Next?
April 2025: Have a say on future governance of Waitākere Ranges
February 2025: Co-governance sought over the Waitakere Ranges