Press Release
New Rural Growth Partnership for long term transformation across our rohe.
August 2026
New Rural Growth Partnership for long term transformation across our rohe.
A new Rural Growth Partnership Proposal is being developed between Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou, Gisborne District Council (GDC) and Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport. We expect this partnership to be agreed and formalised in the coming months.
Nga mihi Councillor Tibble (Ngati Taharora) and Councillor Parata (Ngati Horowai), who moved and seconded this motion.
The resolution recommendations that the Council/Te Kaunihera:
1. Agrees staff will continue to collaborate with Te Rūnanganui o Ngāti Porou and the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport on the development of the Ngati Porou Rural Growth Partnership proposal.
2. Directs staff to report to Council seeking approval for the final proposal in December 2026 at the latest, but earlier, if possible alongside a full proposed model for the spatial plan committee and secretariat and draft regional process agreement.
An immediate focus for this partnership will be to work together on developing a spatial plan for our rohe. Spatial plans will beintroduced with the new planning system replacing the Resource Management Act(RMA). They will plan for the next 30 years including:
This presents a significant opportunity to take a proactive andlong-term approach to growing the Ngāti Porou rohe through strategic and integrated decisions that keep our communities at the centre. It will support land transition, enable the infrastructure our communities need, and strengthen our resilience to severe weather challenges our whānau face.
Ngāti Porou 'collectively' own 45% of our rohe though Māori Land, PSGE redress land, private Ngāti Porou landowners. Our settlement provides for significant decision making through the conservation estate and Joint Management Agreement under the RMA. Ngati Porou working strategically with council will strengthen and reflect our local democracy.
Future land use decision making will be critical for the future of our rohe.
Te Runanganui o Ngāti Porou CEO, Henare Walker says “The Rural Growth Partnership will enable us to work positively with our Treaty Partners. It will ensure Ngāti Porou, as majority landowners and kaitiaki, ensure our aspirations and property rights are at the centre of planning decisions in our rohe.
This partnership was first raised as a proposal at our Annual Crown Summitt in June. It has been great to work positively together to progress our priorities."
More on the Crown Summit
This was an opportunity to work constructively and positively with our Treaty Partner to deliver outcomes for our iwi. We brought three of our priority issues to the table for discussion that help drive ustoward our 25-year strategy NATI 2050:
Henare Walker believes this represents a renewed commitment to utilise the opportunities afforded to us through our Treaty Settlement and Relationship Accord and engage actively with our Treaty Partner.
