The Waikato River Authority are the projects governors who ultimately commission the project and take stewardship of the document implementation. The Waikato River Authority’s enabling legislation has given it an important role as the custodian of the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River.

The Waikato River Authority is a statutory body formed under the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Act 2010, the Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Raukawa, and Te Arawa River Iwi Waikato River Act 2010, and with additional responsibilities arising from the Ngā Wai o Maniapoto (Waipā River) Act 2012 and He Mahere Taiao – The Maniapoto Iwi Environmental Management Plan.

The Authority has ten Board Members who are appointed by the river iwi and Ministers of the Crown.

The Authority is the sole Trustee of the Waikato River Clean-up Trust whose role is to fund projects which meet the purpose of the Authority. The Waikato River Authority is supported in its work by a small Management Team who have been contracted for their specialist skills.

The Authority has two main aspects to its work.
The Authority is charged with safeguarding the importance of Te Ture Whaimana in policy that relates to the health of the river. The task is significant with Te Ture Whaimana applying to 11,000 square kilometres of Waikato River catchment and the government contributing $220 million over a 30-year period.

Secondly because restoring and protecting the Waikato River is such a long-term undertaking, the Waikato River Authority will work towards the creation of an endowment fund so that the river clean-up work can carry on in perpetuity.
The Waikato River Authority set the primary direction through the Vision and Strategy to achieve the restoration and protection of the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River for future generations. The key purpose of the WRA is to promote an integrated, holistic, and co-ordinated approach to the implementation of the Vision and Strategy and the management of the Waikato River.

Te Ture Whaimana is the primary direction setting document for the Waikato River and activities within its catchment and was reviewed in 2011 with no amendments made.

Under the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Act 2010, clause 19, the review of Te Ture Whaimana is to be initiated no later than 10 years from the previous review. Therefore, this is the first major review of Te Ture Whaimana since it was established more than 10 years ago as a key part of the River Settlement.

The “River” is defined in the Settlement Legislation (Section 6) as including the main stem, the tributaries, and all associated lakes and wetlands within the catchment.

The area that this Strategy applies to is the Waikato River and its catchment from Huka Falls to Te Puuaha o Waikato and the upper catchment of the Waipaā River through to its junction with the Waikato River.

The review is expected to take around two years to complete due to the engagement, evidential and legal processes it is required to undertake.

Te Ture Whaimana encompasses the vision for a future where a healthy Waikato River sustains abundant life, and prosperous communities who, in turn are all responsible for restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing for the Waikato River, and all it embraces for generations to come.

There will be plenty of opportunities to have your say. We will be hosting hui across the Waikato catchment with River iwi, and speaking with stakeholders, and community.  Sign up to our email list if you want to be kept in the loop.

Information can be found on the Waikato River Authority website, under ‘Vision and Strategy’.