Iwi protest about KiwiRail's lack of cultural respect

Friday, 5 February 2021

Ngāti Kauwhata leader Dennis Emery is upset KiwiRail is working with other iwi on its new rail depot plans instead of its own. The agency claims there has been a misunderstanding of the process.

Leaders of Manawatū iwi Ngāti Kauwhata are angry KiwiRail is talking to other iwi first about its planned rail and road freight centre to be built between Palmerston North and Bunnythorpe.

The agency claims there's been a misunderstanding of the process, but three months of silence has Ngāti Kauwhata spokesman Dennis Emery concerned.

His iwi is mana whenua for the site, holding tribal authority over the land, where the $2 billion to $4b centre is proposed to be built. But since a hui at the Aorangi marae in October, he said KiwiRail had not communicated on any of the issues discussed.

Instead, it had signed a deal with Ngāti Raukawa to provide a cultural impact assessment.

* KiwiRail lodges its plans to designate Palmerston North land for freight yards

* Iwi feels betrayed over location of new KiwiRail freight centre

“They are not behaving well. We believe they are trying to split us.”

His complaint was based on information in documents being exchanged between the Palmerston North City Council and KiwiRail as part of the land designation process.

KiwiRail lodged a notice of requirement with the council in October, and the council has asked for further information, on a list of 188 questions.

In the tangata whenua section, the council notes Ngāti Raukawa had agreed to provide a cultural value assessment to support the application.

Emery said that should be Ngāti Kauwhata’s role, not Ngāti Raukawa’s.

“In no way did we know that Ngāti Raukawa had signed an agreement with KiwiRail.”

KiwiRail has been asked more questions about how it will engage with mana whenua on its rail centre plans.

In response, a KiwiRail spokesman said it was following proper process for a large infrastructure project.

“We recognise Ngāti Kauwhata are mana whenua in respect of the proposed site.

“However, it is common practice to seek input from all potentially-affected iwi as part of the designation process for major projects.”

KiwiRail had approached Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne and Raukawa for cultural impact assessments.

Ngāti Raukawa had simply signed an agreement first, the spokesman said, and KiwiRail would ensure there was time and flexibility for them all to respond.

“Iwi input is an important part of this project, particularly Ngāti Kauwhata, who we hope will have a key role in the design and development of the future hub.

“KiwiRail is looking at a range of methods to facilitate this involvement throughout the project.”

The council has asked KiwiRail for more information about how it plans to engage with mana whenua.

That further information is supposed to be lodged by the middle of February.

Emery said Ngāti Kauwhata were not impressed with the lack of contact from KiwiRail.

They had met at a hui at Aorangi marae in October, but since early December, there had been no follow up on the matters discussed.

The minutes from the hui record that KiwiRail would continue working with iwi representatives on a kawenata or partnership agreement.

Emery said there had been no progress, and he got worried when other parties went quiet.

He said KiwiRail should take a lesson from the way the NZ Transport Agency had worked in an alliance including iwi on Te Ahu a Turanga, the Manawatū Gorge replacement highway.

The KiwiRail designation process caused so much information to swamp the council website that it was difficult to unpack it and get down to the “nitty gritty”.

Emery said Ngāti Kauwhata would work with KiwiRail on the project despite the current disagreement about the process.

They had disputed KiwiRail’s choice of site, but wanted to ensure if the development did go ahead that it would respect cultural values and provide opportunities for Māori.