Whānau at the heart of Wairoa: The impact of flood mitigation on our people
For generations, the Wairoa community has faced the delicate challenge of balancing the needs of the greater good with the protection of our whenua and whānau. Since the 1870s, over 200 hectares of Māori land have been compulsorily taken by the Crown for public works. Now, yet another major project is on the horizon — the Wairoa Flood Mitigation Project. This proposal involves building a large spillway to divert floodwaters from the Wairoa River, as witnessed during Cyclone Gabrielle. However, this comes at a steep price, displacing 16 homes in the North Clyde area, impacting two marae, and taking an additional six hectares of Māori land.
We, at Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa, have seen this cycle before. As Chairperson Leon Symes puts it, “This seems to be an issue that’s been going on centuries and centuries, Māori giving and giving for the greater good.” For whānau directly affected by this project, the burden is already being felt. John Hubbard of Ruataniwha Marae asks, “How would you like it if someone came into your home and just cut a room out here, cut a room out there? For our people, this whenua is not just land; it’s a living connection — to lose it is to lose a part of ourselves.”
The proposed project would also cut through Takitimu Marae and wāhi tapu, affecting vital spaces that hold deep cultural significance. Rex Smith from Takitimu Marae points out that this floodway could block access to the marae and disrupt the sacred landscape we hold dear.
We have raised serious concerns about the lack of meaningful engagement with landowners who will be directly impacted by these flood protection measures. Leon Symes stresses that consultation must happen before decisions are made, not afterward.
“We believe that a better solution exists. While the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has backed the 1C option, which would carve through our land, we strongly support Option 3. This approach incorporating naturally established spillways of the flood plain, wetlands and estuaries and, the maintenance of an open, high-functioning river mouth. We are not opposed to progress, but we must address the root causes of flooding, not just the symptoms.”
With a deadline of 31 March 2025 for a confirmed solution, we are calling for a more thoughtful, whānau-centred approach. Our community must not be left behind in the rush to protect Wairoa from future floods. Together, we want to find a path that honours our past, our land, and our whānau.
