Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu chair Justin Tipa says they are putting their money where their mouth is in protecting their waterways and advocating for a seat at the decision-making table to collaboratively redesign and co-manage freshwater resources with the Crown.
Last Friday, the rūnanga appeared in the High Court in Christchurch, seeking court declarations to compel the Crown to acknowledge their rangatiratanga over freshwater within their takiwā.
Tipa says the rūnanga’s investment in bioscience strengthens their evidence, complementing their pepeha and mātauranga for the betterment of all South Islanders.
“Ultimately, we want clean, accessible, fresh water for everyone, and that includes all businesses and landowners. We want the whole island to be successful. But you know, it’s really just about taking a common sense approach and sitting around the table and designing a better way of doing things,” says Tipa.
Justin Tipa says if Ngāi Tahu rangatiratanga had not been ignored, this case would not exist, and seeking these declarations will whakamana their authority in the court of law.
