'Dispirited and demoralised': Scrapping iwi-council agreements ‘another blow’ for Māori

Wednesday, 22 July 2026

Ngāti Rangi says the Government decision to remove protections for Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements (MWāR) undermines promises made in its Treaty settlement and raises doubts over the Crown's commitment to rebuilding its relationship with iwi.

Te Tōtarahoe o Paerangi chair Tomairangi Mareikura said the move undermined years of collaborative work between iwi and local councils and was a significant setback for Treaty relationships.

'It defies belief that with one stroke of the pen, lobbyists can influence government to overlook the value of relationships with iwi, and in doing so, act in a way which privileges one group of New Zealanders over another,' Mareikura said.

The decision had left the iwi 'dispirited and demoralised'.

'It feels like another disillusioning blow to the Treaty relationship when the Crown fails to uphold the commitments and responsibilities that it has entered into with iwi.'

Ngāti Rangi has been working with Ruapehu, Whanganui and Rangitīkei district councils and Horizons Regional Council to establish a formal role in planning and environmental decision-making through a MWāR.

The criticism follows changes to Resource Management Act (RMA) replacements, the Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill.

The Bills were reported back by the Environment Select Committee to Parliament this week, which removed protections for MWāR after Cabinet reconsidered the policy.

The Government had initially planned for MWāR to transfer to the new RMA system, but RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said on Monday the agreements giving iwi a formal role in planning decisions would be scrapped.

Councils would instead have the option of entering into new 'narrowly scoped' iwi participation agreements, setting out how iwi authorities take part in statutory planning processes and those that give effect to Treaty settlements.

'Clear guardrails will be included in the legislation to prevent scope creep,” Bishop said.

Mareikura said the move reflected the growing influence of lobbying groups over public policy, highlighting the recently passed Game Animal (Herds of Special Interest) Amendment Bill as another example.

'It is a tragic indictment on our political system when special interest groups are exerting undue influence over fair and just policy making.'

Federated Farmers took credit for the Government scrapping of the council-iwi agreements. In a statement, Federated Farmers said it called on the Government to end the rush by councils to sign Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.

“We're really pleased the Government has listened,” Federated Farmers RMA Reform spokesperson Mark Hooper said.

Ngāti Rangi settled its historical Treaty claims in 2018. In settlement legislation, the Crown acknowledged it had failed to honour its Treaty partnership with the iwi and committed to rebuilding the relationship 'based on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles'.

Mareikura said the policy reversal breached that commitment by disregarding agreements negotiated in good faith with local government.

It “significantly undermines” the settlement process, she said.

Mareikura said the agreements had enabled collaboration on cultural heritage protection, climate resilience, environmental management and data sharing.

'We were determined to work together with local government in a spirit of cooperation; to guide our relationships, including around planning, consenting, monitoring and environmental management.'

Horizons chair Nikki Riley said the regional council had received “an awful lot” of iwi requests to initiate agreements “in a very short time”.

“The bulk of our iwi would have been looking to engage in MWāR prior to yesterday’s decision,” Riley said on Tuesday.

However, no agreements had yet been completed.

“We have MOUs and simpler versions of iwi agreements that we’ve been working on for many years, but no initiations had been formally received by council. Staff had been working on them and a lot of work had gone into them.”

Riley said she was confident there would be a new pathway for iwi-council engagement.

“What that looks like, I don’t know. We’re all in limbo until these laws are passed. It’s difficult to see a pathway forward until that RMA replacement lands.”

Horizons councillor Elijah Pue said the change diminishes Māori voice.

“It returns us back to iwi participation agreements established in the 70s and 80s. It didn’t work then, it certainly doesn’t work now and it’s not going to work in the future.”

The decision was a reaction to “fear-mongering and suspicion” that the agreements line iwi pockets with money, Pue said.

“There is no money in it. This is about including those people from that community in regulatory processes for the better of the environment. There is nothing else in it for Māori.”

Pue acknowledged there had been some issues with iwi participation in regulatory processes.

“In some cases it has become quite cumbersome for some applicants. That is no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

“Our community knows what’s right for our community. We don’t need to be told by Wellington and certainly not by this Government what’s right and wrong. It brings into question the role and function of local government altogether.”

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air