7 April 2022
File Ref: OIAP-7-23925
Brian Warburton
By email:
[FYI request #18971 email]
Tēnā koe Mr Warburton
Request for information 2022-038
I refer to your request for information dated 25 March 2022, which was received by Greater
Wellington Regional Council (Greater Wellington) on 25 March 2022. You have requested the
following:
“
Information relating to GWRC's application to the Environment Court that is the subject of this
'Interim Decision' by the Court:
https://environmentcourt.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Publications/2022-NZEnvC-001-Wellington-
Regional-Council.pdf
In particular:
•
A copy of GWRC's application for the declaration;
•
A copy of all information GWRC as collated in terms of determining which parties and individuals
should be consulted about the implications of its application;
•
A copy of all information provided by GWRC to the Court to support the application, including,
but not limited to, the "affirmation" by Mr Iain Dawe to which the interim decision refers; and,
•
All the information (perhaps a schedule of the watercourses within the region) that was used by
the Court to confirm: "There are over 320 river and stream mouth outlets in the Wellington
Region that flow over the mean high water springs boundary. Of these, only 25 have scheduled
river mouth and coastal marine area boundaries."
Wellington office
Upper Hutt
Masterton office
0800 496 734
PO Box 11646
PO Box 40847
PO Box 41
www.gw.govt.nz
Manners St, Wellington 6142
1056 Fergusson Drive
Masterton 5840
[Wellington Regional Council request email]
Greater Wellington’s response follows:
Application for the declaration
Please find attached a copy of Greater Wellington’s application for the declaration:
I.
Attachment 1: Application for declaration under section 310 and an order under section 293
in relation to the definition of river 'mouth', Dated 6 October 2021.
Notified parties
The parties notified of the application included:
• Appellants to the PNRP
• RMA s274 parties joining appeals on the PNRP
• Territorial Authorities
• Minister of Conservation
• Greater Wellington Regional Council
Greater Wellington applied for and received direction from the Court that this was the appropriate
group on which to serve the application. This direction can be viewed in the following documents:
I.
Attachment 2: Application for directions as to service, Dated 17 September 2021.
II.
Attachment 3: Memorandum of Counsel supporting application for directions as to service,
Dated 17 September 2021.
Supporting documentation
The two following documents were submitted to support the application for the declaration
I.
Attachment 4: Memorandum of counsel supporting application for declaration and order in
relation to the definition of river 'mouth', Dated 6 October 2021.
II.
Attachment 5: Affirmation of lain Nicholas Dawe in support of section 293 application to
correct error in Proposed Plan - definition of river 'mouth', Sworn 1 October 2021.
Watercourses identification
Information to calculate the approximate number of river and stream mouths in the Wellington
region that enter the coastal marine area was derived from the Toitū Te Whenua|LINZ Topo50 map
series contained within the Greater Wellington GIS database and checked against the Department
of Conservation managed Freshwater environments of New Zealand (FENZ) database, also contained
within the Greater Wellington GIS database. The LINZ topo50 map series can be viewed online:
https://www.topomap.co.nz/
Of these, 25 have mapped river mouth and coastal marine area boundaries and include:
1. Waitohu Stream
2. Ōtaki River
3. Waimeha Stream
4. Waikanae River
5. Taupō Stream
6. Kakaho Stream
7. Korokiri Stream
8. Pauatahanui Stream
9. Porirua Stream
10. Makara Stream
11. Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River
12. Wainuiomata River
13. Orongorongo River
14. Ruamāmahanga River
15. Opouawe River
16. Awhea River
17. Oterei River
18. Pahaoa River
19. Kaiwhata River
20. Motuwaireka River
21. Whareama River
22. Ngakauau Stream
23. Whakataki River
24. Okau Stream
25. Mataikona River
These can be viewed online in more detail in Maps 42 to 48 of the proposed Natural Resources
Plan:
http://pnrp.gw.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Chapter-13-Maps-30-to-53.pdf
If you have any concerns with the decision(s) referred to in this letter, you have the right to request
an investigation and review by the Ombudsman under section 27(3) of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987.
Please note that it is our policy to proactively release our responses to official information requests
where possible.
Our response to your request will be published shortly on Greater Wellington’s website with your
personal information removed.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Al Cross
Kaiwhakahaere Matua Taiao| General Manager Environment Management
