River Iwi Welcome Landmark Decision as a Critical Step in Restoring the Waikato and Waipaa Rivers

River Iwi, Ngaati Tuuwharetoa, Waikato, Maniapoto, Raukawa, and Te Arawa River Iwi — welcome the release of the Environment Court’s final decision on Plan Change 1 (PC1), describing it as a significant
and long-awaited milestone in the intergenerational restoration and protection of the Waikato and Waipaa River catchments.

The decision ends a process spanning almost a decade and represents a critical step in giving practical
and enforceable effect to Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato, the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River.

River Iwi say PC1 is a foundational framework that responds to the cumulative impacts of environmental degradation across the catchment and provides a clear pathway toward restoring the health and wellbeing of the awa for present and future generations.

A decision grounded in whakapapa and kaitiakitanga

For River Iwi, this milestone is rooted in whakapapa and expressed through enduring responsibilities as
kaitiaki of the Waikato and Waipaa Rivers.

“As River Iwi, we collectively acknowledge the significance of this moment in relation to PC1 and its
implications for the future of Te Awa o Waikato. We remain steadfast in our commitment to Te Ture
Whaimana as the primary direction-setting framework for the restoration and protection of the awa. While each of our iwi continue to hold distinct perspectives within our respective rohe, we are united in holding the line on the health, mauri, and long-term wellbeing of the river system as a whole.”

The Waikato and Waipaa Rivers are living taonga that connect generations, sustain communities, and carry the histories and identity of the people who live alongside them. River Iwi emphasise that their
relationship to these waters is permanent, inherited, and active — requiring ongoing stewardship and
intergenerational responsibility.

Decade-long iwi leadership, whanaungatanga, and collective advocacy

River Iwi note that the decision reflects more than a decade of sustained iwi leadership, governance
engagement, technical expertise, and collective advocacy across the river system.

Throughout this time, iwi have consistently upheld Te Ture Whaimana as the guiding framework,
advocating for a catchment-wide approach that recognises the cumulative effects of land use and the
need for long-term, systems-based restoration.

Waikato-Tainui Te Arataura Chair, Tukoroirangi Morgan says the decision confirms that Te Ture Whaimana is not symbolic; it has a real and enduring role in shaping decision-making across the Waikato, ensuring that the health and wellbeing of the river remains paramount.

“The Waikato River Settlement was intended to provide long-term certainty and a durable framework for restoring the health and wellbeing of the river. That expectation remains unchanged.”

Te Nehenehenui Chair, Peter Douglas, says Te Nehenehenui also recognises the contribution of those
across the rohe that dedicated many years to advancing Maniapoto interests throughout the PC1
process.

“Their efforts to protect our waterways and uphold the aspirations of Te Ture Whaimana has been
instrumental.”

Raukawa Charitable Trust Chair Kataraina Hodge said the decision reflects the sustained efforts and
good faith engagement of the regional community:
“PC1 didn’t just involve Raukawa and the other River Iwi. This decision reflects the time, resources,
sustained effort and hard work of farmers, growers, primary sector organisations, environmental groups, Councils and our catchment communities over the past 15 years. We’ve all worked together over this time to shape the first step on the journey to restore and protect our awa,” said Hodge.

Hodge said she is pleased the decision does not shy away from the challenges that lie ahead.

“Through the process we’ve have had to navigate through a number of complex issues to shape a
pathway that can now support collective progress toward the achieving the Vision and Strategy. This is not going to be an easy transition, but my hope is the good will and relationships built over this time will translate into the successful implementation of PC1.”

Te Arawa River Iwi Trust Chair, Evelyn Forrest said the decision on PC1 represents the start of a journey:
“No one involved in the development of Plan Change 1 envisaged that it would take more than a decade to reach its conclusion. The prolonged litigation process has delayed the full implementation of protections that were intended to give effect to Te Ture Whaimana. While we welcome the Court’s decision, we cannot ignore the reality that the health of the Waikato River has continued to be impacted while these matters remained unresolved,” said Forrest.

Forrest said the decision also highlighted the importance of maintaining strong legislative protections for Te Ture Whaimana in the soon to be enacted Natural Environment and Planning Bills.

“This decision demonstrates the strength of Te Ture Whaimana as a framework for restoring and
protecting the health of the Waikato and Waipaa Rivers. It is therefore disappointing that the Government’s current Bills do not afford Te Ture Whaimana the same level of recognition and protection that Parliament intended in 2010, the Courts have upheld in the PC1 decision and what exists in our settlements.”

John Bishara, Chair of Tuuwharetoa Maaori Trust Board acknowledges the strength and significance of this mahi:

“For Ngaati Tūwharetoa, the health of the Waikato Awa begins at its source within Taupoo Moana — a taonga of immense spiritual, environmental, and cultural significance to the iwi. The waters flowing from Taupoo nui-a-Tia carry not only ecological importance, but the whakapapa, identity, and enduring responsibilities of Tuuwharetoa as kaitiaki.

The wellbeing of Taupoo Moana and the Waikato Awa are inseparable, reinforcing the importance of a
connected catchment-wide approach to restoration, protection, and long-term environmental
stewardship across the entire river system”.

“Tuuwharetoa Maaori Trust Board acknowledges the strength of partnership and whanaungatanga
demonstrated alongside Waikato-Tainui, Ngaati Maniapoto, Raukawa, and Te Arawa River Iwi throughout this long process.”

Strength of iwi-led environmental governance
River Iwi say that in a changing national environmental policy landscape, PC1 has taken on increased
significance.

It is now recognised as one of the strongest examples of iwi-led, catchment-scale environmental
governance in Aotearoa, demonstrating the practical effect of Treaty settlement arrangements and the
enduring strength of iwi partnership in delivering long-term environmental outcomes.

Not the end of the haerenga

River Iwi emphasise that PC1 is not the conclusion of the restoration journey, but an important foundation step within an intergenerational pathway of change.

“The restoration of the Waikato and Waipaa Rivers will not be achieved in a single moment or decision. It requires sustained commitment over generations, guided by Te Ture Whaimana and grounded in shared responsibility for the future health of the awa.”

Looking ahead, titiro whakamua

River Iwi say the focus now turns to implementation, partnership, and continued collective action across iwi, local and central government, landowners, communities, and industry.

The shared objective remains clear — to ensure future generations inherit a Waikato and Waipaa River
system that is healthier, more resilient, and restored in balance.

Iwi Position Statement on Plan Change 1 (PC1)

River Iwi, Ngaati Tuuwharetoa, Waikato, Maniapoto, Raukawa, and Te Arawa River Iwi, welcome the release of the Environment Court’s final decision on Plan Change 1 (PC1) as a significant and long-awaited milestone in the intergenerational restoration and protection of the Waikato and Waipaa River catchments.

PC1 represents a critical and necessary step in giving practical and enforceable effect to Te Ture
Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato, the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River. It establishes a robust,
catchment-wide regulatory framework that responds to the cumulative impacts of environmental
degradation over time and provides a clear pathway for restoring the health and wellbeing of the awa for present and future generations.

For River Iwi, this decision is grounded in whakapapa and affirmed through our enduring responsibilities as kaitiaki. The Waikato and Waipaa Rivers are living taonga that sit at the heart of our whakapapa as River Iwi. They connect us to our tuupuna, sustain our communities in the present, and carry our responsibilities to future generations. Our relationship with the awa is not defined by ownership or proximity, but by whakapapa and an enduring obligation to protect, restore, and uphold the mauri of these waters for those who will follow after us.

This milestone reflects more than a decade of sustained iwi leadership, governance responsibility,
technical expertise, and collective advocacy across the river system. Throughout this journey, River Iwi
have consistently upheld Te Ture Whaimana as the guiding framework, advocating for an approach that recognises meaningful restoration requires systems-level change, long-term commitment, and shared accountability across all users of the catchment.

In a changing national environmental policy environment, PC1 has become increasingly significant. It
stands as one of the strongest examples of iwi-led, catchment-scale environmental governance in
Aotearoa, demonstrating the practical effect of Treaty settlement arrangements and the enduring
strength of iwi partnership in delivering long-term environmental outcomes.

River Iwi emphasise that PC1 is not the conclusion of this journey, but a foundational step in an
intergenerational pathway of restoration. The vision of Te Ture Whaimana cannot be realised through
short-term measures; it requires sustained commitment across decades, guided by intergenerational
thinking and collective responsibility.

Our focus now turns to implementation, partnership, and continued collective action to ensure future
generations inherit an awa that is healthier, more resilient, and restored in balance. This is the enduring
responsibility of River Iwi, and one we continue to carry forward together with strength, unity, and
purpose.