Te Arawa Lakes Trust is urging the Crown and regional councils to forge a more equitable and meaningful partnership in managing Rotorua’s precious waterways. Despite being the legal owners of the lake beds under the Te Arawa Lakes Settlement Act, the Trust says it currently lacks an “exclusive seat at the table” in Crown-led water governance forums.
Key Concerns & Calls to Action:
- Deteriorating Infrastructure
The Ōhau Diversion Wall—built in 2008 to divert nutrient-rich water from Lake Rotorua and protect Lake Rotoiti—was expected to last 50 years. Yet it showed signs of corrosion as early as 2014. Now, holes near the surface allow polluted water through, raising fears of worsening algal blooms and declining water quality - A Broader Problem
Trust Chairman Wallace Haumaha highlights that the failing infrastructure isn’t an isolated incident—it reflects “a broken, Crown-led water management system that continues to ignore our role as kaitiaki.” He welcomes the Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s accelerated trials to fix the wall but insists this must go hand-in-hand with proper inclusion of Māori voices in decision-making
By demanding not just infrastructure repairs but genuine co-governance, Te Arawa Lakes Trust is making clear that safeguarding these lakes is not just an environmental imperative—it’s about honoring Treaty rights and enabling Māori to exercise their responsibilities as kaitiaki.
Read the full article on RNZ here.
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