Public have their say on controversial Hawke's Bay dam

*This story has been clarified regarding the slated cost, and the project's name.

• The Tukituki Water Security Project, formerly the Ruataniwha Dam project, is located at the same site on the Makaroro River using the same consents
• The project would see a dam built on the Makaroro River, a tributary of the Tukituki River, and the flooding of 22 hectares of conservation land
• The Ruataniwha plan was scuppered in 2017 by the Supreme Court, when it deemed a land swap unlawful
• But that could be overridden by the government's new Fast Track Approvals Bill
• The dam project chair Mike Petersen told RNZ the cost of the new project would not be known until a feasibility study was carried out. A 2016 a Regional Council report indicated the construction cost of the Ruataniwha dam could be $333m, with possible investment cost to famers an additional $556m* taking it to more than $900m.
• Opponents of the dam have launched a campaign to stop it

Leaders of a controversial Hawke's Bay dam project faced tough questions from fired up locals at their first public meeting about the project in Waipawa on Tuesday night.

Dozens of people filled the CHB Municipal Theatre - Waipawa's town hall - for the first public meeting held by the Tukituki Water Security Project team.

Irrigation NZ's Stephen McNally spelled out how dire the water security situation is in Hawke's Bay, and was followed by project chair Mike Petersen who urged the crowd not to confuse this dam with its controversial predecessor.

"We're here to focus on the issues tonight and not the personalities. We want to look forward rather than revisit history and go back over old ground.

"There was a lot of angst over the old Ruataniwha project and frankly I don't think it does the region any benefit at all if we keep revisiting history," he said.

But when the floor opened for questions, angst was what he got. Local resident Ngavii Pekepo told him in no uncertain terms that their lack of tikanga and mana whenua involvement was disrespectful.

"We do become offended when a meeting like this hasn't been addressed with a prayer - if it had been addressed with a prayer maybe we wouldn't have had this argument.

"When you have a hui to do with this, to do with our people, to do with their lands - this is when you bring them in. When you stand up there and speak to Māori people you must address the whakapapa," he said.

Another person agreed, questioning the organisers over their misjudgement.

"Where's the karakia, where's the whakapapa, where's the kaupapa", they said.

Johnny Nepe Apatu from Ngāti Marau felt the project leaders had failed to respect Māori, and could have made an effort with their pronunciation.

"I'm a bit agitated that I kept hearing the name of the river being mentioned wrong.. and the other rivers have been bastardised as well.

"And the little lies were happening, saying they'd been talking to mana whenua - well I've been on this kaupapa all my life," he said.

Nepe Apatu feared the dam favoured money and the economy over its peoples' health.

"We are the kaitiaki of this environment and we want to make sure our mokopuna and their mokopuna, and their mokopuna, get to have water to drink safely," he said.

Other concerns were raised at the meeting too, such as the cultural significance of the dam site.

Ngavii Pekepo, who has lived in Waipawa for 72 years, said a large maori community once lived on the Makaroro River and a dam should not be built at that location.

"It won't happen, but good luck to you," he told the project leaders.

'Bloody frustrating', says project leaders

Tukituki Water Security project chair Mike Peterson told RNZ he has consulted with mana whenua throughout the process.

"We have been discussing all the issues raised tonight with mana whenua leadership - and look, we know that there are people within mana whenua who disagree with this project. And we understand we have to work our way through that.

"It's not something that happens quickly, but we'll continue those discussions," he said.

Petersen said a key difference between the Ruataniwha Dam and the Tukituki Water Security Project is the hierarchy of water use downstream. The priority is to support minimum flows near Havelock North, use water to remediate local lakes, supply water to townships and then enable higher value food production and processing.

During question time, Petersen told the crowd he was sick of the misinformation being spread about the project.

"It's actually bloody frustrating. We're genuinely trying to put one peg in the ground every day to try and understand if this is a viable project or not.

"Why don't you give us the room to do that? We will do the work we need to do and then we'll come back and talk to you about whether it's viable or not," he said.

The next step for fast track project is a feasibility study, which the government has funded to the tune of three million dollars. The Tukituki Water Security Project is gathering another three million from individuals and businesses.

The study will take about 18 months and determine if the dam is a goer.

"If it's not feasible we will not go ahead with this project - it's a go or no-go decision.

"So would I walk away if enough people came up to me in this room and said 'Mike Peterson you're an asshole'? No of course I won't," said Petersen.

The 'Lake Como' of the Southern Hemisphere

Those in the meeting also worried about gravel build up in the Makaroro and the proximity of a large faultline, questioning the project leaders about where the data was showing these issues from the original dam plan had been overcome.

But Petersen said that detail will be revealed during the feasibility study. Gren Christie from the dam protest group Wise Water Use wants the dam halted, and for them to first take a closer look at how water resources are allocated in Hawke's Bay, for example to the dairy industry.

"We should look exactly at what we are doing with out water now and address that issue before we start taking on massive mega dams.

"There are a lot of problems with those dams environmentally and the footprint it's going to take," he said.

Throughout the hour of questions from the public, there were voices for and against the dam. Those in support of the project were hopeful for the economic growth it will bring in jobs and opportunities.

One man took up the mic to tell the audience he was not impressed with his fellow residents who were fighting against the dam.

"There are comments made here tonight which sicken me, because they are losing sight of the fact of what this thing will do for us.

"It's going to cost a lot of money, it's going to cost a lot of hard work and it's going to cost a lot of effort. I congratulate you Mike for standing up here against all these people who are so bloody negative," he said.

While another local urged people to imagine what the dam would look like once completed.

"This could be the most stunning recreational area you can imagine, this could be the Lake Como of the Southern Hemisphere... it could be amazing," she said.

The Tukituki Water Security Project said it continues to engage with central government about future funding past the feasibility phase, and it has fully planned and costed the Fast Track and DOC land exchange process.

*The project was slated to get water to the farm gate, with farmers needing to invest in installing additional infrastructure.

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