Te Arawa aims to bolster voice

REVIEW: Te Arawa Standing Committee wants to strengthen ties within the council. PHOTO/FILE

A full review of the Te Arawa Standing Committee hopes to strengthen ties with the Rotorua District Council.

Iwi members of the council's Te Arawa Standing Committee are undertaking a review of the committee's purpose and functions, aimed at strengthening Te Arawa's collective voice and influence within the district.

Iwi committee members, with support from the council's Kaupapa Maori unit, have been meeting informally recently to develop a review process for capturing the views of Te Arawa whanui.

Committee member Arapeta Tahana said plans were under way to call the Te Arawa community together for a hui-a-iwi in February to consider iwi aspirations and expectations of the committee for the future.

Mr Tahana said hui discussions were likely to include consideration of the purpose and structure of the committee and how Te Arawa could best be represented in council decision-making.

"Essentially, we want to ensure that we have the right waka, the right resources and the right people to develop a genuine partnership with council; one that contributes to sound decision-making and helps achieve our collective aspirations."

In a recent speech Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick announced the council was embarking on a new process to build an enduring, sustainable partnership with Maori, whom she referred to as the "sleeping giant of the Rotorua economy".

"This is an absolutely essential process for formally acknowledging the significant role tangata whenua have in the future development of our district.

"Our council is totally committed to ensuring we work hand-in-hand with Te Arawa and travel together on a journey to achieve our bold, new Rotorua 2030 vision for our district," she said.