November 27, 2019
Water heading the way of moa if action not taken
An iwi claim it was tricked into supporting water augmentation scheme has been rejected by the minister heading the Provincial Growth Fund.
Ngāti Kahungunu environment and natural resources director Ngaio Tiuka says when the iwi supported Hawke's Bay Regional Council’s $30 million bid for water security projects, it did not realise it included augmentation or pumping water from underground acquifers into streams to boost their flows.
Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones says Hawke’s Bay needs to tackle water scarcity, and there is no option but to use science and new technology to protect jobs and economic growth.
“There was a time I am sure on the Heretaunga plains that Kahungunu were eating moa. I’ve got no time for this static view of what is a Māori approach in terms of resource management. All groups adapt their approaches and lord knows we have to adapt in the face of climate change,” he says.
Shane Jones says if Hawkes Bay can’t find or store sufficient water, the first ones to miss out are likely to be members of Ngāti Kahungunu.
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