Public notification of the draft proposed second-generation Rangitaiki River Document (River Document) is the start of the formal process under the Ngāti Whare and Ngāti Manawa Claims Settlement Acts 2012. Making a submission is a way to give your views and influence decisions made by the Rangitai River Forum on the next River Document.

Any person can make a submission. You don’t have to be an expert, you just need to have a relevant point of view and be specific about the changes you wish to see. Your submission should focus on the positive or negative environmental effects of actions in the River Document.
The Ministry for the Environment website has more advice on making a submission: www.mfe.govt.nz.

A Submission Form is also provided and can be used as a guide. You can attach additional pages if necessary.
Your submission must be made in writing and include:

• The address for service (specified in the public notice).

• The full name of the River Document.

• Your full name, address, telephone and/or fax number and email address so information can be sent to you. This is your ‘Address for Service’.

• The specific provisions of the River Document your submission relates to.

• Whether you support or oppose those provisions or wish to have amendments made and your reasons why.

• The decision or conclusion you would like the Rangitaiki River Forum to reach. Put in as much detail as possible.

• Whether you wish to be heard (speak and give evidence) at a hearing on your submission.

• Whether you will consider presenting a joint case at a council hearing with others who have lodged submissions similar to yours.

You must sign and date your submission – a signature isn’t necessary for electronic submissions.

Please be as clear and detailed as possible in your submission, particularly on the changes you wish to see made to the River Document.

The closing date for submissions is 4:00 pm Thursday 5th November 2026.

Once submissions have closed, the submissions will be summarised and reported to the Rangitaiki River Forum’s next meeting on Friday 11 December 2026.

The Rangitaiki River Forum will then decide whether to appoint a hearing panel. If a hearing panel is appointed, it will schedule and hold a public hearing of submissions and deliberate on the decisions requested by submitters. If appointed a hearing panel will make its recommendations to the first Rangitaiki River Forum meeting in 2027.

The Rangitaiki River Forum must decide whether to accept the hearing panel’s recommendations as its decisions, providing reasons. The River Document will be amended to reflect and changes adopted by the Rangitaiki River Forum and posted on its website. Submitters will be notified of the River Forum’s decisions at the same time its decisions on submissions are publicly notified and the date specified on which it becomes operative.