22 Mar 2012

Tauranga City Council praised for Mauao-Mt Maunganui deal

7:20 pm on 22 March 2012

A Tauranga Moana elder is praising the Tauranga City Council for talking to local iwi about setting up a decision-making body to look after Mauao (Mount Maunganui) as part of researching the effectiveness of joint management models.

Future decisions on the management of Mauao are to be split 50-50 between Tauranga City Council and three local iwi.

One of the six trustees from the three tribes who own the historic site, Hauata Palmer, says when the iwi put their proposal forward the council was very accepting.

He says the Mauao Trust Board's legal council was able to provide evidence of co-governance arrangements between iwi and councils in other rohe (territories).

Mr Palmer says apart from one or two councillors who asked lots of questions, there was a general acceptance by all involved, not just the council but members of the Mauao Trust Board as well.

The body, which is yet to be named, will include four iwi representatives from the board and four from the council.