After the decision is made, the relevant Māori groups will expect you to maintain an on-going relationship with them. This is seen as part of the engagement process.

Maintaining relationships post-approval is where you should keep Māori groups informed of your operations – eg, by providing annual reports and other updates.

Engaging with the right groups

It’s critical that you engage with the correct Māori organisations. If you’re uncertain, the EPA can provide advice and support. Our Māori Policy and Operations Group, Kaupapa Kura Taiao, can:

• help you determine whether you need to engage with Māori.
• help you develop your engagement strategy. This will set out how extensive the engagement needs to be and which Māori groups you should engage with.
• help you establish long-term relationships with Māori groups.

Talk to us early in the development of your proposal. If your engagement is inadequate, there may be unnecessary delays and/or costs.

Make sure the engagement is genuine

Engagement is a two-way interaction.

• You’ll discuss the areas of your application that have been identified as particularly important to affected Māori groups. 
• Understanding the specific risks and opportunities will help you ensure your final proposal manages the risks – and enhances any opportunities.