North Canterbury News: January 14, 2021

NEWS
2 North Canterbury News, January 14, 2021
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Robyn Bristow
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027 312 1581
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@ncnews.co.nz
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Landowners air mataitai worries
By SANDRA TAYLOR
More than 45,000 hectares of private land has
been caught up in three mataitai reserves
declared in the Kaikoura and Conway areas,
affecting the ability of landowners to use the
waterways on their property.
Agroup of affected landowners are concerned
about what they perceive as alack of
consultation over the placing of the mataitai
reserves and the restrictions they place on their
use of waterways on their land, and potentially,
the land surrounding them.
They are now seeking ajudicial review of the
three mataitai and are asking for help with the
cost of the process, estimated to be $60,000 to
$80,000.
Mataitai allow for customary fishing areas to
be protected, but the three covering the
Kaikoura and Inland Road area take in every
inland waterway and ephemeral stream, most of
which do not hold harvestable fish species and
were never customarily fished.
While the Mataitai Landowners Group
welcome the placement of mataitai over
traditional fishing and food­gathering areas,
which are typically coastal and estuarine sites,
evidence from the climate agency Niwa and
Ngai Tahu show that the mataitai include
several inland waterways that were never fished
or used for gathering food.
Aspokesperson for the landowners’ group,
Bryden Black, says the aim of the review is not
only to seek relief in terms of the extent of the
mataitai, but also to seek judicial direction to
the government with regards to consultation
processes with rural communities in the future,
to ensure consultation is meaningful.
He says the group is perturbed about the poor
consultation process carried out by the Ministry
for Primary Industries (MPI) before the
introduction of the mataitai.
“We only found out by chance that the former
minister of fisheries, Stuart Nash, had gazetted
the three mataitai in September 2018, and by
that stage it had become afait accompli.”
The group complained to Parliament’s
Regulation Review Committee early last year,
expressing concern over the “defective”
consultation process with landowners, and
encouraged the ministry to meet with the
group’s members.
“While MPI agreed to meet with us in August
to discuss our concerns, their official response
in September was that they saw no reason to
revisit any of their decisions.”
Mr Black says the mataitai can place
restrictions on the use of the waterways and
adjoining land, which would not only limit the
landowners’ enjoyment of their waterways, but it
could also affect their ability to diversify their
land businesses to include accommodation for
fishers and guided fishing.
Maitaitai questions ... A30­metre waterfall would challenge the most
determined eel, but this and the land above has been caught up in amataitai,
limiting landowners’ ability to use waterways on their properties.
AmandaKeys
Advertising
027 536 6224
amanda.keys
@ncnews.co.nz
Kerryn Clark
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021 586 138
kerryn.clark
@ncnews.co.nz
RichardMcCombie
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022 024 3092
richard.mccombie
@ncnews.co.nz
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Distribution/Deliveries
03 314 8335
Rangiora: 03 313 2840 /03314 8335
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Christchurch: 03 364 7460
www.starnews.co.nz
Kaikoura hill country ... The country
above a30­metre waterfall has been
caught up in amataitai, although records
show the area was not atraditional fishing
or food­gathering area.
Volunteers sought for health shuttle
By ROBYN BRISTOW
Volunteer drivers are neededtohelp
keep the wheelsofthe NorthCanterbury
Health Shuttle turning.
The Amberley­basedshuttle ferries
NorthCanterbury folk to appointments
in Christchurch. It needs about24
drivers to ensure it is not aburden for
volunteers.
NancyGardner,North Canterbury
Shuttle team leader, says numbers have
dropped to 17, which means peopleare
having to drive more often.Ideally,
volunteers man the shuttletwice a
month,and organise their tripstosuit
times peopleneed to be in the cityfor
appointments.
Most drivers are in their 60s or 70s and
occasionally are not available because of
their own commitments or medical
needs.
Mrs Gardner says younger mums and
dads are either working or raising their
families, andcannot committothe role.
All volunteers aretrained in first­aid
and attend aStJohn Driving course. All
that is needed is astandard car driver’s
licence.
The shuttle does not travel north of
Amberley or west of Rangiora, but picks
up people everywhere in between.Those
further afieldcan use the shuttle if they
can make it into Amberley or Rangiora.
There is no charge,but donations are
welcome,she says. At present, the shuttle
is sponsoredbyFour Square,but anew
shuttle will be on the roadsoon thanks to
abequestfrom an Amberley resident.
‘‘A verygenerous local person has left
us anew vehicle, which is all set up and
ready to go.’’
Anyone interestedinbeing adriver is
asked to contact ElleMckay at 0800 785
646 or email elle.mckay@stjohn.org.nz.