Column by Daran Ponter, Chair of the Greater Wellington Regional Council
By signing Te Wai Ora o Parirua – Porirua Harbour Accord, Greater Wellington Regional Council has committed to working with our partners to restore the ecological, cultural and environmental integrity of the harbour.
As an environmental protection agency, the regional council is responsible for the restoration and conservation of te taiao (the environment), connecting communities through sustainable public transport, preserving our regional parks and working with rural landowners to improve the environmental outcomes on their land.
Caring for the health of our water is a key focus for the regional council, which includes monitoring the health of our rivers, lakes, harbours and coastal waters and finding flood protection solutions that benefit both people and the land.
As chair of Greater Wellington, I believe the Accord will inspire the collective effort required to prevent further degradation of the harbour and to return it to health.
In a time when we are seeing environmental taonga threatened by fast-track proposals and attempts to remove te ao Māori from the public service, it is more important than ever to stand up for te mana o te wai.
I am determined to centre Kaupapa Māori within Greater Wellington’s work by supporting agreements like the Accord which take an intergenerational approach guided by our mana whenua partners.
My signature on the accord is a promise to iwi and current and future residents of Porirua that Greater Wellington will uphold its duty of care for the region’s water.
Our expert teams of scientists, including hydrologists and ecologists are already working hard to do just that.
Their knowledge and experience gives me confidence that we can uphold the Accord and continue to have a positive impact on the health of the harbour.
We’ve already taken strides with iwi and community partners through Te Awarua-o-Porirua Whaitua, which proposed ways to manage the impacts of activities in the surrounding catchments and restore harbour and stream health.
We have more than 30 monitoring sites scattered throughout both arms of the harbour and on the Horokiri, Pāuatahanui and Porirua streams that assess estuary condition andtrack sediment entering the harbour.
Another part of my job is serving as the deputy chair of the Wellington Regional Leadership Committee (WRLC), which you may have read about recently after the Prime Minister’s comments on regional deals.
Our committee is focussed on positively shaping the future of our region and improving the quality of life for all who live here.
We decided not to rush in an application for a deal because we understand the value of thorough planning for projects to enable our communities to thrive. Over the next 6 months we will develop a shared view of how best to partner with the government to achieve a transformational approach to regional growth.
You can keep up to date with the work Greater Wellington is doing on our website, and I encourage you to sign up for our fortnightly newsletter there.