Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com
Federated Farmers is sounding the alarm over councils rushing to sign new iwi partnership agreements before the Resource Management Act is replaced.
Federated Farmers RMA reform spokesperson Mark Hooper says Environment Canterbury is the latest council attempting to finalise a Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreement before the new planning system comes into force.
“Under the Government’s replacement legislation, as currently drafted, councils won’t be able to enter into new Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.
“But that draft legislation presently carries over any existing Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.
“Predictably, that has triggered a rush from iwi organisations seeking to lock agreements in before the law changes.
“The latest example is Environment Canterbury, which has suddenly announced it’s considering an agreement with Ngāi Tahu, with elected councillors given only one week to consider and decide on the draft agreement.
“ECan is showing flagrant disregard for their community, pushing this through with no public notification before it appeared on the agenda this week, to be ratified next week.
“That’s deeply concerning and we’re calling on the Government to intervene so councils can’t rush these agreements through before the system is reformed.”
Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements, created under the Resource Management Act, set out how councils and iwi work together on resource management matters.
They can allow for joint decision-making on plans and resource consents.
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In its Election Platform launched last month, Federated Farmers expressed concern about the increasing number of agreements between councils and iwi that allow for co-governance or co-management of natural resources.
Since the Government released its draft Natural Environment Bill and Planning Bill in late 2025, dozens of new agreements have been initiated around the country, including in Manawatū-Whanganui, Northland and most recently Taranaki.
Hooper says councils have little discretion once an agreement is formally requested.
“Councils are legally required to negotiate these agreements, which puts elected members under enormous pressure to complete them before the law changes.
“That creates a real risk of rushed decision-making and inadequate public scrutiny.
“In Canterbury, councillors have had very little time to consider the proposal before being asked to ratify it.”
Federated Farmers will write to Environment Canterbury urging it to pause the process and allow proper consultation.
“The timing couldn’t be worse. Local government reform is also underway and, within a year or two, Environment Canterbury may no longer exist, with smaller unitary councils taking its place.
“Signing long-term partnership agreements now could bind future councils that don’t even exist yet.
“Those future councils should be free to negotiate their own relationships with iwi once both local government and resource management reforms are settled.
“Rushing agreements through now shows little respect for future elected representatives or the communities they’ll serve.”
Hooper says the situation reinforces the need for Government action.
“This scramble highlights exactly why ministers need to step in and change the new legislation before it’s enacted.”
In its submission on the Government’s resource management reforms, Federated Farmers recommended the new system shouldn’t carry over Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.
“If the Government decides to retain them, there need to be clear limits.
“They shouldn’t override democratic decision-making, expand the scope of planning legislation or create additional consent requirements.”
Hooper says the agreements raise important questions about who should influence planning rules and resource consent decisions.
“We fully support councils and iwi working together and building strong relationships.
“But decisions affecting property rights and resource consents should ultimately rest with people the public can vote in or vote out.
“Our concern is that some agreements move beyond collaboration and hand significant influence to groups that aren’t democratically accountable in the same way elected councils are.”
While some agreements focus primarily on improving communication, Hooper says others extend much further.
“For example, Northland Regional Council’s agreement with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hine includes funding for iwi environmental planning work and provides opportunities for iwi representatives to participate in resource consent processes.”
He says farmers are concerned about what that could mean in practice.
“A farmer wanting consent for a feed pad, a new effluent system or worker accommodation could end up facing extra costs, delays and bureaucracy.
“Federated Farmers is firmly opposed to blanket requirements for cultural impact assessments on routine consent applications.
“Farmers already spend enough time and money navigating an overly complex consent system.
“The last thing rural New Zealand needs is another layer of consultants, planners, lawyers and reports added to an already broken resource management system.”
