After a year of planning, a historic agreement was signed between iwi and the local government on January 17, 2009, when the Council granted T`wharetoa decision-making powers over resource authorization decisions – the first time a local New Zealand government transferred powers to an iwi. The agreement provides for the creation of a joint committee in which qualified iwi delegates will, in collaboration with municipal councillors, make changes to resource approval and private hearings for Maori companies. It is estimated that more than 50 per cent of the land in Taupa district is owned by members of Ng`ti T`wharetoa. Vaughan Payne, Executive Chief of the Waikato Regional Council, said that natural resources under the aegis of Taupa Waters would benefit from the new co-management agreement. The agreements focus on how the Council and the iwi authorities will work together to promote the restoration and protection of the Waikato River. These include cooperation in the development of the district plan, resource approval decisions, and monitoring and enforcement under the Resource Management Act 1991. The small ceremony of the Joint Administrative Arrangement Committee will take place at 11:45 a.m. in the Waikato Regional Council Chambers. A special ceremony today will celebrate the inclusion of Taupa Waters in the joint management agreement between the T`wharetoa Méori Trust Fund and the Waikato Regional Council. The agreement defines how the Council and the guardianship committee will work together on specific legislative tasks and functions, including the exercise of powers within the Resource Management Act. The Commission has signed joint management agreements with Raukawa Settlement Trust (September 5, 2013) and Te Arawa River Iwi Trust (May 19, 2017). The agreements are a prerequisite for the Ngéti T`wharetoa, Raukawa and Te Arawa River Iwi Waikato River Act 2010. The Council and the Council said they were pleased that the waters of the Taupa were included in the agreement.

Kia ora Graham In accordance with your request for a copy of the joint management agreement signed with the T-Wharetoa Regional Council and the Waikato Regional Council, all JMA agreements are available on our website (link below)[1]www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/common… The Tuwharetoa agreement was negotiated in part. The first part was signed in August 2016 and can be accessed from the site. The next part is expected to be signed on February 26, 2018, after which it will be published on the aforementioned website. Naku noa, n`Michael Carey Kaiwhakarite – Co-management Waikato Regional Council P: 07 859 2720 M: 021 530483 see sections citedReferable links 1. www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/commun… 2. www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/ Enlargement provides for close cooperation between the parties in the management of Taup waters, including Lake Taup and incoming and outgoing tributaries. Previously, the joint management agreement focused exclusively on the Waikato High River watershed.

“This step is one step closer to achieving tino rangatranga and mana motuhake on our Taonga tuku iho,” said Topia Rameka, Chair of the Board of Directors of the T`wharetoa Trust. TDC and Raukawa Joint Management Agreement (PDF, 919KB) TDC and Te Arawa River Iwi Trust Joint Management Agreement (PDF, 1.2MB) “We have seen the value of the generational vision that brings Ngéti T`wharetoa to the Board`s decision-making, including their extensive experience and knowledge of freshwater resources, which are among the most important taonga in our region.” The Joint Management Agreement was concluded in Tapeka Marae, in the village of Waihi, the main home of Ngéti T`wharetoa Paramount Chief Tumu te Heuheu.