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Pānui – Mōtītī Island District Plan

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangataha maha, tēnā koutou

Do you identify as ahi kā of Mōtītī Island?
In December 2012, the Environment Court gave its interim decision and, among other things, directed the Minister to seek input from and consult with ahi kā (described by the Court as Te Patuwai living permanently on the Island) regarding the integration of parts of a Hapu Management Plan with the proposed Motiti District Plan to form an Island Management Plan. Copies of the Court’s interim decision, the Hapu Management Plan and the currently proposed District Plan are available here:

• Motiti Island - Hapu Management Plan
• Motiti Island - Proposed District Plan

If you identify as ahi kā and would like to be involved, please contact:
Susan O’Neill,
Department of Internal Affairs,
PO Box 805,
Wellington 6140
email: susan.o'neill@dia.govt.nz
phone: (04) 495 9316

Administration of offshore islands

The Minister of Local Government acts as the territorial authority for a number of offshore islands that are not included in the boundaries of an established local authority. Only three have any significant population and / or permanent buildings and structures.

• Motiti Island - a small settled island with a permanent population mostly engaged in farming.
  • Information on Motiti Island
• Mayor (Tuhua) Island - a small, dormant volcanic island situated off the Bay of Plenty coast. The island is controlled by the Tuhua Trust Board, which maintains and hires out several buildings and cabins. The island is closed to the public over the winter period.
  • Information on the proposed Tuhua Island District Plan
• Whakaari/White Island - Uninhabited Whakaari/White Island lies 48km off the Bay of Plenty coast and is the visible tip of a mostly submerged volcano. It is New Zealand’s most active volcano. Although privately owned, White Island became a private scenic reserve in 1953, and daily tours allow people to visit White Island.
  • GeoNet monitors volcanic activity on White Island and assesses the level of risk to the public. Since August 2012, the island has been in a heightened state of unrest. If you are considering visiting the island, you are advised to check the latest alerts by clicking on these links:
    http://www.bopcivildefence.govt.nz/
    http://www.geonet.co.nz/volcano/info/whiteisland
  • For information about being prepared for an emergency, see:
    www.getthru.govt.nz
    www.civildefence.govt.nz

Link here to the following pdf* documents, courtesy of Terralink:

• Mayor (Tuhua) Island (map) 189k
• Motiti Island (map) 252k
• Location map (showing location of Mayor and Motiti Islands) 98k

Information Releases

From time to time, the Minister of Local Government and/or the Department of Internal Affairs releases information requested under the Official Information Act 1982. This section provides links to material produced by the Department of Internal Affairs in relation to offshore islands.

• 8 March 2013 - Information Briefing: Update on district plans and other responsibilities for offshore islands (1mb)*

* These documents are in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. You need to have the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. You can download a free version from the Adobe site.