Auckland Mayor Phil Goff, Rodney Local Board Chair Beth Houlbrooke, Te Uri o Hau Chief Executive Deborah Harding and Chair Russell Kemp at the signing of the Auckland Council Te Uri o Hau Relationship Agreement at Te Arai Point.

Phil Goff signs historic iwi relationship agreement.

Mayor Phil Goff has joined with the Chair of Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust Russell Kemp and the Chair of the Rodney Local Board Beth Houlbrooke to sign the first formal relationship agreement between mana whenua iwi or hapu and Auckland Council since the unification of Tāmaki Makaurau in 2010.

The rohe of Te Uri o Hau includes Dargaville, Maungaturoto, Mangawhai, Wellsford and the Kaipara Harbour and the relationship agreement follows the Te Uri o Hau Deed of Settlement enacted in 2002.

That Treaty of Waitangi settlement redress recognised the importance of Te Uri o Hau establishing protocols with government departments and third parties.

The Mayor says the ceremony symbolises the determination of the Governing Body, the Rodney Local Board and Te Uri o Hau Settlement Trust to commit to a relationship of trust and understanding.

“Today is the first formal relationship agreement between mana whenua, iwi or hapu, and the Auckland Council since amalgamation. A strong and constructive relationship between mana whenua and local government is important to the identity and growth of our city,” says Mayor Goff.

Local Board Chair Beth Houlbrooke says: “The signing of the agreement between Te Uri o Hau and Rodney Local Board affirms their long standing relationship and commitment to work together, and provides the opportunity for Auckland Council and mana whenua to express their commitment to a chief-to-chief relationship.”

The signing ceremony brought all the authorities together for the first time and delegations representing Ngāti Whātua and Ngāti Manuhiri were also in attendance to show their support for the agreement.​