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Lake Tarawera As A Priority Lake

Date:
Categories:
Official Information Requests

Sent: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Subject: LGOIMA request - Lake Tarawera as a priority lake

I would like to request the following information under the Local Government Official Information & Meetings Act;

27th March 2008 - Prime Minister Helen Clark announced government funding for restoration project for Rotorua Lakes Protection and Restoration programme.

The total cost of the programme put forward by the councils to address the water quality of four priority lakes is $144.2M.

Those lakes are: Rotorua, Rotoiti, Okareka and Rotoehu.

The local community has signalled its willingness to make major contributions to the cost of restoration. Yet a project of this scale is clearly beyond the ability of the councils alone to fund without excessive burden on their ratepayers. Nor should they be expected to do so when these lakes in our nation's tourism heartland matter to us all.

1. Who decided or determined the four priority lakes?

15th June 2018 - Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group Meeting

An estimated $15-19M was required to finance the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme and a working party was assessing the optimal funding mix.

MfE to provide advice regarding process to amend the membership and Terms of Reference and any affect it may have on the funding Deed.

Further inclusion of scope for the Strategy Group included: climate change impacts, lake related biosecurity matters, fisheries, bylaw enforcement, Lake Tarawera as a Deed funded lake.

2. What was the working party's assessment of the optimal funding mix?

3. What was Ministry for Environment's advice on the Terms of Reference and any affect it may have on the funding Deed?

4. Did the Rotorua Lakes Council or Bay of Plenty Regional Council offer any advice?

25th October 2018 - Rotorua Lakes Council Meeting

Background

Members also discussed the need to Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group's Terms of Reference to remain cognisant of changing environmental issues whose impacts should be considered and included in the Strategy Group's function. These included: climate change impacts, lake related biosecurity matters, fisheries, bylaw enforcement, Lake Tarawera as a priority lake.

5. Why was the wording changed from Deed funded lake from the RTLSG meeting on 15th June 2018, to a priority lake in the 25th October 2018 Rotorua Lakes Council Meeting?

6. What is the difference between a Deed funded lake and a priority lake?

2nd November 2018 - Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group Meeting

Amendments to the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group Agreement and Terms of Reference

Resolved

6 - Instruct partner Organisation staff to include the following matters as agenda items were appropriate: climate change impacts, lake related biosecurity matters, fisheries bylaw enforcement, Lake Tarawera as a priority lake. Leeder/Chadwick carried.

6. What was the purpose of amending Lake Tarawera as a priority lake?

7. As a priority lake, was Lake Tarawera entitled to funding as the other four priority lakes?

Response

I refer to your LGOIMA request of 23 November 2024 (above), specifically:

  1. Who decided or determined the four priority lakes?
  2. What was the working party’s assessment of the optimal funding mix?
  3. What was Ministry for Environment’s advice on the Terms of Reference and any affect it may have on the funding Deed?
  4. Did the Rotorua Lakes Council or Bay of Plenty Regional Council offer any advice?
  5. Why was the wording changed from Deed funded lake from the RTLSG meeting on 15th June 2018, to a priority lake in the 25th October 2018 Rotorua Lakes Council meeting?
  6. What is the difference between a Deed funded lake and a priority lake?
  7. What was the purpose of amending Lake Tarawera as a priority lake?
  8. As a priority lake, was Lake Tarawera entitled to funding as the other four priority lakes?

In answer to each question:

1. Who decided or determined the four priority lakes?

The Crown and the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group (RTALSG).

2. What was the working party’s assessment of the optimal funding mix?

The minutes of the Tarawera Sewerage Steering Group (the working party) of 15 October 2018 contained the below recommendations:

  • That the Tarawera Sewerage Steering Group strongly support the onsite LPGP systems for each property at Lake Tarawera based on the cultural, physical, technical aspects.
    Cr Kevin Winters / Te Ohu Wikingi
    CARRIED
    Unanimous decision
  • That the Tarawera Sewerage Steering Group agreed that the best practicable option on balanced de3als with Iwi issues and affordability for the connection to Lake Okareka is via Tarawera Road.
    Cr Mark Gould / Wally Lee
    CARRIED
    Unanimous decision
  • The Tarawera Sewerage Steering Group does not believe that OSET is a viable option for the community given that 170 properties will not be able to comply, there is considerable on-going cost and there will be limitations to a number of sections on the operation of an onsite scheme.
    Chair, Glenn Snelgrove / Libby Fletcher
    CARRIED

There was no reference to the funding mix.

3. What was Ministry for Environment’s advice on the Terms of Reference and any affect it may have on the funding Deed?

BOPRC can find no record of any advice from the Ministry for Environment. However, BOPRC advise that the Ministry for Environment is not a member of the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group so are unlikely to comment on the Group’s Terms of Reference. The funding Deed is a stand alone document.

4. Did the Rotorua Lakes Council or Bay of Plenty Regional Council offer any advice?

Advice was provided through the RTALSG on amendment to the membership of the RTALSG.

5. Why was the wording changed from Deed funded lake from the RTLSG meeting on 15th June 2018, to a priority lake in the 25th October 2018 Rotorua Lakes Council meeting?

The minutes of the RTALSG meeting on 15 June 2018 reflected general conversation around lakes that could potentially be funded through further Deed funding, if available, and that Lake Tarawera would be a priority lake for any such future Deed funding.

6. What is the difference between a Deed funded lake and a priority lake?

See comment above. The original Deed funding was only for the 4 listed priority lakes.

6. What was the purpose of amending Lake Tarawera as a priority lake?

See comments above. Lake Tarawera was considered a priority lake for future management of all 14 lakes.

7. As a priority lake, was Lake Tarawera entitled to funding as the other four priority lakes?

Not under the current Deed of funding.

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