What can I expect in return?
Applicants can expect councils will:
- provide advice on who may need to be consulted and how this might most effectively be done, particularly where tāngata whenua groups are concerned
- keep and maintain records and details of all iwi and hapū within their region or district, and any planning documents prepared by the iwi/hapū and lodged with the council
- acknowledge that consultation may be part of a long term relationship
- have developed relationships with tāngata whenua groups, that will provide you with a good basis for your own engagement with these groups
- make available or at least draw your attention to relevant documentation and information to help consultation (such as iwi management plans)
- review the consultation that you have carried out, particularly in the lead up to the determination over affected persons and any notification of your application
- advise where you may need to revisit your consultation.
Applicants can expect interested and affected parties will:
- acknowledge the applicant's investment in an idea and right to advance a proposal
- appreciate the time and cost implications you may face in consulting with them
- recognise that a proposal is just that and may be changed before being approved
- provide open, honest and clear responses to consultation
- provide timely responses to consultation
- focus on the environmental effects of the proposal and not issues beyond the scope of the resource consent process
- respond with positive and proactive feedback on any areas of concern.
Applicants can also expect tāngata whenua will:
- appreciate that applicants may be unfamiliar with tāngata whenua concerns and protocols and the number of tāngata whenua groups and different concerns they may have
- understand that as an applicant, you may not have the power or ability to resolve problems that fall outside the context of the resource consent process, or the effects that could be connected to your proposal
- operate in a transparent and professional manner, by providing estimates for the costs of their involvement, and breakdowns of costs incurred in any invoices for their time
- stick to any commitments you may have jointly reached over the exchange of information, or timelines for responses.
