The High Court has found the demolition of back country huts in Te Urewera las year by Tuhoe’s post-settlement governance entity was unlawful.
Twenty-nine huts were burned down by Te Uru Taumatua after a decision by the co-governance Te Urewera Board to decommission Department of Conservation infrastructure in the former national park.
Wharenui Tuna from Te Whakatane hapū of Ngai Tuhoe obtained an interim injunction in November 2022 to prevent the destruction of further huts, but 10 more huts were burned after the injunction.
Te Uru Taumatua denied responsibility for that.
The court says demolition of the huts was contemplated by the law, but not without an annual operational plan.
It slammed the Department of Conservation for coming up with an annual plan 376 days after the start of the year, something it said was a striking example of reviewable error.
Destruction of the huts has affected pest control and undermined efforts to preserve the indigenous ecological systems and biodiversity of Te Urewera,
It has also compromised public entry and access to Te Urewera.
The court says Te Uru Taumatua and the board failed to act in a way that valued and respected Tūhoetanga,.
