Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika has expressed deep disappointment over the continued discharge of untreated wastewater at Moa Point, describing the situation as unacceptable and harmful to the moana of Te Upoko o te Ika.
As mana whenua, Taranaki Whānui says it holds an enduring responsibility to protect the whenua, wai and moana, and views the current discharge as a serious failure of infrastructure and governance.
The iwi says the issue is not new. Longstanding concerns have been raised about the resilience and management of wastewater infrastructure at both Moa Point and Seaview. The latest discharge has exposed what they describe as the fragility of the system and its direct impact on marine life, coastal ecosystems and surrounding communities.
For mana whenua, the waters affected are taonga, holding their own mauri and sustaining cultural practice, identity and traditional food gathering. Infrastructure that allows untreated wastewater to enter the coastal environment is seen as fundamentally inconsistent with tikanga Māori and the principles of kaitiakitanga.
Taranaki Whānui is calling for clear accountability and greater transparency from authorities. The iwi says the public deserves timely and accurate information about the cause of the failure, the timeline for repairs and the full environmental consequences.
Recent leadership changes at Wellington Water have been noted as a reflection of the seriousness of the situation. Taranaki Whānui says historic infrastructure decisions made without kaitiakitanga at their core have directly contributed to the environmental and cultural harm now unfolding.
The iwi is actively involved in governance discussions and the transition to the future water entity, Tiaki Wai. It says it will continue to exercise its responsibilities as mana whenua at every level to ensure the long-term protection and restoration of the moana.
Taranaki Whānui maintains that urgent and accountable action is required to restore the mauri of the waters and uphold the mana of the region’s wai.
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