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September 02, 2021
Aupouri water consents unlock tribal lands
Waatea Team
Posted On September 2, 2021
Download AudioThe business development manager for Te Aupōuri says it’s a red-letter day for Muriwhenua iwi with independent comissioners issuing consents to take water from the Aupōuri aquifer.
Penetaui Klescovic says Te Aupōuri was one of 22 mainly avocado growers seeking the consents from Northland Regional Council, and it won about 1.2 million cubic metres of the 4.6 million cubic metres a year made available.
He says the iwi has been unable to make the best use of its land, including what was returned under its treaty settlement, because it could not irrigate it.
The consent process has taken four years.
"Effectively that means next year our avocado trees would have been yielding fruit and potentially we would have had an extra $30 million to $40 million in the coffers but given the drawn out process we've spent a significant amount just obtaining this consent and that's not even putting any infrastructure or any bores down so still a long way to go but a step in the right direction," Mr Kleskovic says.
Te Aupōuri hopes there will be no appeals against the consents.
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