As your Mayor, I want to provide an update on the Draft Joint Management Agreement (JMA) currently being presented to Council, so that all residents of the Taupo district understand its meaning and intent.
My position is straightforward: I support the legal requirement to partner with the Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board to protect the health of the Waikato River. This is an environmental and statutory mandatory duty that I would be prepared to sign with support from the councillors and the community.
However, the current draft agreement includes voluntary “extensions” that go beyond the requirements of the legislation. These changes would alter the governance model for resource consents and land use across much of our district.
I want to be clear that I am committed to working cooperatively with the Trust Board to reach a resolution. A strong partnership is built on mutual respect and clarity. By focusing our efforts on the mandated river protections first, we can fulfil our legal duties together while ensuring the public has a voice on any additional changes.
Under the Local Government Act, a change of this significance requires absolute transparency. This is a major change in our governance, where ratepayers would be governed by people they cannot remove at an election due to the JMA. It would impact property rights and introduce administrative costs. I believe the public must have a formal opportunity to provide input before any final decision is made.
My goal is to secure a robust agreement that protects our river and strengthens our relationship with the Trust Board, while upholding the democratic right of every resident to be consulted on major changes to how our district is governed.
John Funnell
Mayor of Taupo
