October 31, 2012
Hawkes Bay water grab alarms taiwhenua
Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga says plans for a $230 million dam in Central Hawkes Bay, show cows and grapes are being given greater priority than people.
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council is today considering the plan for the dam on a tributary of the Tukituki River.
Taiwhenua spokesperson Marei Apatu says the area's marae and land trusts are concerned the interests of irrigators are being put first.
"From a tangata whenua perspective it needs to be balanced up. The economic driver which is mainly cows and milk which seems to be taking precedence and even vineyards are taking precedence over the natural access of humans to get good quality drinking water," Mr Apatu says.
If the dam is built, the taiwhenua says tangata whenua should get a royalty for environmental and cultural projects.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd