Adele Whyte Ngati Kahungunu have regularly challenged proposals we view as contributing to the poor health of our waterways and will continue to do so on behalf of our 24,000 registered members.
Most recently the iwi, hapu, whanau and the community expressed concerns regarding the extraction and export of water to China from the Heretaunga Aquifer, when we still have local water shortages.
The whanau and hapu of Heretaunga asked to meet with leaders from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council to discuss a range of concerns relating to water and its management. The meeting was a step towards improving relationships between the regional council and iwi.
Water, rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries and aquifers are an integral part of the nation's identity. This is certainly the case for tangata whenua, who are deeply connected to their waterways.
However, due mainly to man-made influences, the state of our waterways is in a sorry state. For example, in some instances the water stops flowing in the Tukituki River. Karewarewa stream in Bridge Pa is another example where locals are worried about the lack of water in the stream, waterways that may never fully recover from degradation.