Land taken for a sewerage works that's been out of action for decades should be returned to Puketapu hapū, says New Plymouth’s iwi liaison committee Te Huinga Taumatua.
Written by Craig Ashworth for Local Democracy Reporting.
The committee has declared support for the return of the Mangati E block, asking staff to report how to make that happen — including by creating a working party with Puketapu.
Council staff say the potential return of Mangati E will be a model for dealing with other Māori land controlled by New Plymouth District Council.
Mangati E was taken under the Public Works Act in 1968 for a sewerage works for the Bell Block suburb, but that use ended when the district built a new wastewater plant in the mid-80s.
The 33-hectare block — now part of Hickford Park — is mostly pasture and coastal vegetation, with two disused oxidation ponds acting as artificial wetlands.
Since 2010, Puketapu hapū has repeatedly asked New Plymouth District Council to return the land.
Kaumātua Peter Moeahu was back at Te Huinga Taumatua on Wednesday suggesting a joint council-hapu working party to remove blockages to Puketapu regaining the land.
Moeahu objected to a staff report's emphasis on obstacles, including having to assess any council and public needs for continued access to the block.
"We will accommodate the public where we can.
"But remember this: it's our stolen land, not the council's and not the public's — ours."
Moeahu bristled at NPDC's stated need to know what Puketapu wants to do with the land, saying he'd never dare ask a councillor what they'd do with their property.
"I understand there could be a huge public backlash, I get that. But the point remains: it's our land, it was never paid for."
Te Huinga Taumatua is half councillors and half representatives from four iwi agencies, who were eager for progress.
Te Kāhui o Taranaki representative Jacqui King said it was wrong to focus on whether the council or public needed the land for another use.
"If land is determined as surplus under the Public Works Act there is an obligation to, within a reasonable timeframe, return that land," King said.
"The principle should take priority here. We have determined that the land was taken unjustly, so the obligation should rest on us to return it."
A small part of Mangati E – 2.4 hectares – was authorised for recreation purposes in 1978 and New Plymouth's coastal walkway and a softball field cross one edge of the block.
NPDC interim chief executive Steve Ruru advised that under the Public Works Act the council must assess public use and access needs, because uses that develop over time can be relevant.
He also said the disused oxidation ponds needed scientific assessment.
"It is important that we have a clear understanding if there are any contamination issues sitting beneath those wetlands and … any residual responsibilities on the council to address some of those contaminations."
Councillor Te Waka McLeod said Māori reserve lands controlled by NPDC kept returning to the council table, yet their fate remained unresolved.
She didn't want her son to inherit the fight to return land.
"How long must we wait? How long? How long do we continue having these frustrating, heated conversations."
"It just seems diabolical."
Councillor Gina Blackburn agreed.
"Let's be very clear, this is not one land block. There are many, many Mangati Es"
Blackburn asked if Mangati E was being used to form the Whenua Interests Framework — a new inquiry by NPDC into its holdings of Māori land.
The council's poutohutohu matua Rangi Maihi confirmed it was a test case.
"Mangati E is a model for informing development of the Whenua Interest Framework, that's the current thinking for officers."
New Plymouth is not the only district grappling with land issues — for instance Gisborne's council is considering returning whenua to Ngāti Oneone and how the case might apply to other hapū land.
— LDR is local body journalism funded by RNZ and NZ on Air
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