If you’ve never heard the term Mana Whakahono ā Rohe until this week, you’re probably not alone.
Until recently, it wasn’t something most people outside of local government, planning or iwi organisations would have come across.
But it’s now become part of a national conversation after the Government proposed changes to how existing Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements would be treated under its Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms.
So what are they and why does it matter?
What is a Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreement?
Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements were introduced through amendments to the Resource Management Act (RMA) in 2017 under the National-led Government to provide a formal framework for iwi, hapū and local councils to work together on planning and resource management matters.
The aim was to encourage earlier, more structured engagement between councils and tangata whenua, helping to improve communication and establish clear expectations before important planning decisions are made.
Think of it as a roadmap for how iwi and councils will work together throughout the planning process.
It doesn’t hand decision-making over to iwi or hapū, and it doesn’t replace councils or change who makes the final decisions.
Instead, the agreement sets out things like:
- When iwi will be involved in discussions
- How information will be shared
- How both sides will communicate
- How issues will be worked through together
The council still makes the final decisions. The agreement is about how iwi and councils work together throughout the planning process, not who has the final say.
Why do these agreements exist?
The idea is to encourage conversations that happen sooner.
Rather than iwi being consulted late in the process, these agreements help everyone understand how they’ll work together from the beginning.
The aim is to encourage conversations earlier in the planning process, so everyone understands how they’ll work together from the beginning.
What does that actually look like?
It doesn’t always involve huge national issues sometimes it’s about everyday decisions in a community.
For example it could involve discussions about:
- Where a new community facility should be built
- How land with cultural significance is managed
- Changes to local parks or public spaces
- Environmental restoration projects
- How development affects waterways or wāhi tapu.
Kaupapa Māori environmental expert Tina Porou says that in her own rohe, these conversations have included things like where a community centre should be built, how public spaces are developed and even decisions about which trees should be cut down in the township.
She says the council still makes the final decision, but the agreement provides a clear process for iwi to be involved in those discussions.
So what’s changing?
As part of its proposed RMA reforms, the Government wants to remove provisions that would carry existing Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements into the new planning system.
The Government says its wider reforms are about creating a simpler planning system with fewer layers of regulation.
Critics argue that removing these protections could create uncertainty for agreements that are already in place.
Why is this making headlines?
For many people, this debate isn’t really about one clause in a Bill.
It’s about how councils and mana whenua work together when decisions are made about land, water and development.
Supporters of Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements say they provide a clear process for iwi and councils to work together early, before decisions are made. They say the agreements don’t take decision-making away from councils - they simply set out how both sides will engage throughout the process.
Others argue the planning system should be simpler, with fewer formal processes and less regulation.
Many iwi leaders also say the public debate has misunderstood what these agreements actually do, creating misconceptions about Māori involvement in local decision-making.
What does this mean for whānau and communities?
The debate raises a bigger question about who is involved when decisions are made about the places we all live - from housing developments and infrastructure projects to waterways, parks and public spaces.
Another point of debate is when the proposal was announced.
The change relating to Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements was introduced after the select committee had already heard public submissions on the Bill. That meant people who made submissions on the original proposal didn’t have an opportunity to comment on this specific change through that process.
Making changes to legislation that will have significant impact on our communities after the public consultation process has ended is not only bad lawmaking practice but further erodes public trust in the Government’s commitment to engage with Māori in good faith.
The Government’s wider RMA reforms are still progressing through Parliament, so further changes are still possible before the new planning system becomes law.
Want the bigger picture?
This proposal is just one part of the Government’s wider plan to replace the Resource Management Act.
For an overview of the full reforms, read our RMA Reforms – What You Need to Know explainer.
You can also read Hāpai Te Hauora’s media release outlining our response to the proposed changes to Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements.