“As Mana Whenua, Kaitiaki we have solid grounds under the Resource Management Act to file our appeal regarding the Dome Valley Decision in order to protect our whenua becoming another toxic dump site. As a Rūnanga we tautoko the appeals of the Collective Iwi, Hāpu and Community that have vested interests in protecting our lands for the benefit of future generations” - Te Rūnanga ō Ngāti Whātua.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua represents approximately 20,000 beneficiaries throughout Auckland, Northland and Aotearoa. It represents Hapū and Marae within the iwi of Ngāti Whātua, who descend from the tūpuna, Haumoewarangi, and other recognised tūpuna. Te Rūnanga ō Ngāti Whātua Manahautū - Mr Riwaka explains, “a landfill in this location would challenge the relationship that Mana Whenua have with their lands, water, sites, waahi tapu, and other taonga, and their kaitiakitanga role in respect of protecting the awa and whenua. The landfill’s presence will clearly and irrevocably diminish that relationship and will seriously limit the ability to exercise kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga consistent with our tikanga, culture and traditions”.

Our Iwi support the view shared by Commissioner Tepania who said that ‘Te Awa Hoteo and its surrounds, is a taonga and area of cultural significance to Ngati Manuhiri and Ngati Whatua as iwi who whakapapa to or hold customary interests with the place’. Ngāti Whātua agree that ‘there is a strong likelihood that the damage caused by a dump being established on that site will adversely impact the wellbeing of mana whenua and the community at large in the future”.

The appeal states that the proposal approved does not meet the thresholds within the Resource Management Act and we believe that the “overall broad judgment” approach to the Auckland Unitary Plan provisions was the wrong legal test. Accordingly, there was no jurisdiction to approve the proposal, which results in significant adverse cultural, biodiversity, sedimentation, stream and watercourse effects, as well as unacceptable or inappropriate risks to our values and the natural environment.

As a result Te Rūnanga ō Ngāti Whātua seeks cancellation of the landfill consents. If that cannot be achieved, then we seek substantial changes to the conditions to recognise that a regional landfill has lasting effects over hundreds of years and will require substantial cultural and biodiversity mitigation and offsetting to address the adverse cultural, biodiversity and other effects on Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua and their Hapū and Marae, and the wider environment.

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