Integrating co-existing indigeneity in marine planning and management: Wrecking and rolling in New Zealand/Aotearoa

Abstract

This paper uses the 2011 grounding of the MV Rena and the subsequent debate over whether to remove or abandon the wreckage on Astrolabe Reef/Otaiti as a departure point to discuss real world implementation of theories of empowerment through process. It has been claimed that the salvage of the Rena has been the second most expensive in the world and whether or not its remains are allowed to be dumped on the reef has significant implications for international maritime insurance. Several tribal groupings of the indigenous Maori have overlapping relationships to the reef and surrounding areas and the reef has nationally outstanding features and significant ecosystems. The focus of the paper is on the practical mechanisms being used in New Zealand/Aotearoa to integrate co-existing and overlapping relationships of indigenous tribes, their rights and culture, and how these are expressed through government planning processes. Drawing on an analysis of Court evidence, indigenous and government planning documents and cultural valuation assessments, we discuss theories of public participation, especially engagement, consultation, and the exercise of indigenous power in the context of the Rena. The analysis highlights that it is not just the values of the colonial hegemony and those of the indigenous people that co-exist and overlap, but also that tribal groupings have overlapping and differentially weighted values. This poses particular challenges for coastal and marine spatial planning. We conclude that the coastal and marine planning processes in New Zealand/Aotearoa offer useful examples of how claims to marine title, overlapping relationships with special places, and co-existing values can be integrated into decision-making.