Source: Radio New Zealand
Untreated water is leaking onto the capital’s south coast beaches due to the Moa Point Treatment Plant flooding. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Wellington iwi Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika has expressed profound disappointment at the ongoing discharge of untreated wastewater at Moa Point.
In a statement, the iwi said as tāngata whenua it held an enduring responsibility to protect the whenua, wai, and moana of Te Upoko o te Ika (the Wellington region).
“This discharge is unacceptable and reflects a serious failure of infrastructure and governance. This situation requires accountability and a strengthened system,” the statement read.
The chair of Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika Te Whatanui Winiata told RNZ there had been an emotional reaction from iwi members, many who have expressed an “enormous amount of disappointment” at the disaster.
“We are a group of people and an iwi that holds our taiao in high regard. In fact, we believe that we are a part of the taiao. We are indigenous forms of the Māori flora and fauna and the taiao is our whanaunga. We have whakapapa, we have ingoa, we have stories that connect us to the taiao. So it’s been quite a cry of hurt, disappointment and anger.”
The iwi were looking forward to the findings of an independent review into the treatment plant failure and expected to be a part of the solution, he said.
“One message that we often share as members of the iwi there in te Upoko o te Ika, in Te Whanganui-a-Tara is that we are the constant. We don’t have the opportunity to come and go. It’s our responsibility and the expectation on us is to remain, to maintain our presence within the region to maintain the mauri of our region and to play our role as kaitiaki of the region. And I think this type of situation we’re in is a clear message that we need to be a part of the decision making. Because we will always, as responsible kaitiaki and members of the tākiwa, we will always make a decision that has the region and it’s best interest at heart.”
Winiata said the iwi had previously raised concerns about wastewater infrastructure at Moa Point and in the Lower Hutt suburb of Seaview.
“For many years, treated and untreated sewage has been discharged at Moa Point and at Seaview and in particular into one of our awa called Waiwhetū … and we have been voicing our opinion for many years from a tikanga Māori perspective which dictates that sewage stays on the land and never enters our waterways.”
The iwi said the public deserved clear and timely information and it expected transparency regarding the cause of this failure, the repair timeline, and the environmental impacts.
“Recent leadership changes at Wellington Water reflect the seriousness of this situation and reinforce the need for strengthened governance. Historic infrastructure decisions made without kaitiakitanga at their core have directly contributed to the environmental and cultural harm we are now witnessing.
“Taranaki Whānui is actively engaged in governance and the transition to the future water entity, Tiaki Wai, and will continue to exercise its responsibilities as mana whenua at all levels to protect and restore the long-term health and mouri of our moana.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
