Ngati Kahungunu says a joint iwi agreement relating to a dam proposal in Hawke's Bay is a warning to the regional council to remember Maori values are not subordinate.
The iwi and Ngai Tahu have formalised a pact outlining what the council needs to fulfil before the South Island iwi puts in a bid to back the Ruataniwha Water Storage scheme.
Ngati Kahungunu had opposed the plan partly because the council declined its request to extend consultation over the dam.
Runanga chair Ngahiwi Tomoana says the agreement with Ngai Tahu may make the council think again about culture values and Maori ties to the environment - that they are not subordinate or not a factor in measuring support for the dam.
He has said Ngai Tahu has assured his iwi that it will not proceed with putting in a bid on the dam if Ngati Kahungunu is not happy.
In response, the Hawke's Bay Regional Council's investment company says it and the council have considered cultural elements among other areas since the beginning.
Earlier this year, the council signed a conservation agreement with a collective of nine local marae called Te Taiwhenua o Tamatea.
Chair Roger Maaka said the document partly means the marae have a say over the Ruataniwha project and how it progresses.
