Our partnership with Waikato-Tainui

In 2012, Hamilton City Council entered a joint management agreement with Waikato-Tainui, to work together on restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River for future generations. 

Under the joint management agreement, Waikato-Tainui works together with us on activities relating to the Waikato River

The Waikato River is a taonga to iwi and mana whenua, and the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Act 2010 requires local authorities in the Waikato and Waipaa river catchments to enter into joint management agreements with Waikato-Tainui.

As part of the Treaty settlement for the Waikato River, the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato River/Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awa o Waikato was developed in 2008.

The vision is for a future where a healthy Waikato River sustains abundant life and prosperous communities who, in turn, are all responsible for restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River, and all it embraces, for generations to come. 

The joint management agreement led to the establishment of the Waikato-Tainui Hamilton City Council Co-Governance Forum, which supports Waikato-Tainui and Council to:

• build a strong, mutually beneficial relationship
• provide opportunities for collaboration that promote better wellbeing outcomes through agreed projects
• meet obligations to restore and protect the Waikato River.