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Roles and responsibilities

Ha taonga tuku iho te wai Papatuanuku, tiaki arounuitia e tatau katoa

Water is lent to us by the earth, we must use it wisely

The Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme is a partnership with Rotorua Lakes Council, Te Arawa Lakes Trust and Bay of Plenty Regional Council with funding from Ministry for the Environment.

The partner organisations work together to protect and restore water quality in 12 Rotorua lakes for the enjoyment and use of present and future generations.

Te Arawa Lakes Trust

• Represent iwi. Te Arawa has mana whenua as the owner of the lakebeds and provides cultural advice on all aspects of the lakes
• Aid in the protection of the cultural identity of Te Arawa people and their lakes
• Ensure the cultural identity wairua, tikanga and kawa of the Te Arawa people is invested in the strategy to improve the lakes of the Rotorua District
• Protect the mauri of the lakes
• Ensure meaningful and binding working relationships with iwi/hapu and their ancestral lakes

Rotorua Lakes Council

• Administer the relevant sections of the Resource Management Act 1991
• Provide and maintain sewerage and storm water discharge infrastructure
• Plan for and manage land uses within the lake catchments
• Contribute to funding to help improve the health of Rotorua lakes in association with the Crown and Regional Council

Bay of Plenty Regional Council

• Implement the Strategy for the Lakes of the Rotorua District
• Administer the relevant sections of the Resource Management Act 1991
• Implement the Rotorua Lakes Recreation Strategy and Regional Pest Management Plan
• Implement the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme through operational objectives
• Contribute to funding to help improve the health of Rotorua lakes in association with the Crown and District Council

Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group

The Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group is the overarching management group.  It is made up of elected representatives from Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Te Arawa Lakes Trust and Rotorua Lakes Council for coordinated management of the Rotorua lakes.  A representative from the Ministry for the Environment also attends.

The Group meets four to five times a year to coordinate policy and actions to improve the Rotorua lakes.  It is established in law, as part of the Te Arawa Lakes Settlement. 

Meeting minutes and agendas can be viewed at www.boprc.govt.nz.

Funding

Improving water quality in the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes is only possible through funding.

The Ministry for the Environment has committed $72.1m in a Deed of Funding arrangement for the four priority lakes – Rotorua, Rotoehu, Rotoiti and Okareka. 

Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Rotorua District Council matched this funding with $72.1m for these four lakes, with additional funding for the protection and restoration of the other eight lakes.

Operations

Operational decisions on the management of the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme are made at the Partnership Steering Group.

This group meets monthly and is made up of senior managers from the three partner organisations and the Ministry for the Environment.