Our Commitment
Wi Pere is deeply committed to restoring and protecting the mauri of the Waipaoa because of our responsibility as Kaitiaki and because we recognise the vital role Waipaoa has in the life it brings to the whenua, people, community, and local livelihoods.
Through the Freshwater Advisory Group, we are advocating for a fair water allocation system that includes Maori communities historically excluded, and for new water quality standards that protect the mauri of water while enabling responsible use in our businesses.
In addition, Wi Pere is a member of the Transition Advisory Group, working to reduce sediment and forestry slash entering waterways, both as an urgent priority and through long-term strategies.
Cultural science guides our environmental management, with the Mauri Compass — developed by our whanaunga Dr Ian Ruru — aligning our business practices with both cultural and environmental values, and blending western and indigenous knowledge in our decision-making.
This legal case filed by the coalition Wai Manawa Whenua is about restoring balance, justice, and recognition of the rightful role of Maori as kaitiaki in freshwater governance.
Alan Haronga
Chairman
Wi Pere Trust
Photograph of the Waipaoa River, 2010, by Ulrich Lange, Bochum, Germany – CC BY-SA 3.0
