Conservation Minister Tama Potaka and DoC are subject to court action after an iwi alleges the Crown breached Treaty of Waitangi obligations with its Ruapehu ski field deals. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka and DoC are subject to court action after an iwi alleges the Crown breached Treaty of Waitangi obligations with its Ruapehu ski field deals. Photo / Mark Mitchell
By RNZ
A central North Island iwi has filed court action against Minister of Conservation Tama Potaka and the Department of Conservation (DoC) over concessions made to the commercial operators of Tūroa and Whakapapa ski fields on Ruapehu.
The iwi, Te Patutokotoko, alleges the Crown failed its legal obligations underthe Treaty of Waitangi by failing to engage with them and actively protect their interests in their ancestral maunga by continuing to deal with private owners over them.
Lead claimant Te Kurataiaha Te Wanikau Tūroa told RNZ the iwi has been looking for a solution to the issue for years, but was “shrugged off no matter what plan we put forward”.
Tūroa said the iwi had spoken directly to the minister about their concerns.
“We actually put in an interest for Whakapapa 18 months back, we got right to the end of it... the Crown just shut us off at the 12th hour.
“It was a let-down. But we didn’t cry. We just carried on. That’s what we’re doing,” Tūroa said.
Earlier this year, Whakapapa Holdings and Pure Tūroa were granted 10-year concession by DoC to operate the north and south sides of the maunga respectively.
The Ruapehu ski fields are regarded as vital to the local economy. Photo / Supplied
The previous owner went into receivership in 2022 and the successful bid by the private companies came as a relief to Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton, who said the ski fields were vital to the district’s economy.
Tūroa said he did not want the companies to be kicked off the mountain, but wanted the iwi to have more say on how the maunga was operated.
