1 July 2025
Council is currently advancing a major update to the 2009 Joint Management Agreement (JMA) with Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Unlike the original—which followed months of public hui and consultation—this new version is being pushed forward with minimal public engagement and limited debate.
I’ve formally raised six key governance concerns, including:
- Expanded jurisdictional scope,
- Treaty-framed governance language,
- Absence of public accountability mechanisms,
- Undefined financial exposure.
These are not minor updates—they represent 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 in how decisions may be shaped in our district.
In response, I’ve written to Hobson’s Pledge to seek independent scrutiny. I have also now forwarded that letter to the CEO and elected members. For full transparency, my letter can be read here
This isn’t about opposing change—it’s about insisting on process integrity. Our community deserves visibility, debate, and accountability. I think it should go out for public feedback before we sign up to anything, but this is not the trajectory we are currently headed.
A public workshop is scheduled for 𝟏𝟏𝐚𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟑 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲. If you care about how governance evolves in Taupō, now is the time to engage. And you may wish to talk to your elected members as well.
duncandoestaupo.com 