Appendix 2: Details of Consultation Process
- Advice on appropriate locations and coverage of New Zealand, the style of hui and key contacts for specific regions was taken from the Māori Reference Group, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Māori Strategy and Ministry for the Environment Maruwhenua. Key contacts for each hui location were consulted on venues, date and time selection, appropriate tikanga, and local issues.
- Information and notification of the hui was provided directly to marae, iwi and hapū organisations. The contact list was based on distribution lists from Ministry for the Environment Maruwhenua, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Māori Strategy, Te Puni Kōkiri regional offices, the Māori Reference Group and local government iwi liaison officers, and the Federation of Māori Authorities. Key contacts also assisted in developing the contact list.
- A core team of government officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry for the Environment and Te Puni Kōkiri, and an external facilitator and minute taker (fluent in te reo Māori) attended all hui. Additional senior managers and officials from the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Ministry of Economic Development attended some hui.
- Hui were held during the day on weekdays, or in the evening. Marae protocol was followed for discussion on marae, and the kawa of the local people was followed at other venues. Following pōwhiri at most venues, senior government officials provided a short presentation about the Sustainable Water Programme of Action, the purpose of consultation, and the next steps in the process. This was followed by discussion, questions from the floor, and presentation of concerns by participants. Most of the time was dedicated to discussion from the floor, which was open-ended. Most hui took about two and a half hours.
- The presentation and discussion minutes from each hui were typed (in Māori or English) as participants spoke, and displayed simultaneously on a screen. Participants were invited to correct any points recorded during and after the hui, and .draft minutes were prepared for participants to take away and review at the end of the hui. Participants were also invited to make any corrections immediately after the hui, and also given a week to submit amendments. Information about next steps and the report back from consultation hui was provided. Information requests, responses to questions that could not be answered on the day and invitations to further hui were followed up subsequent to hui.
