So first of all, I want to thank those who have been asking for more detail on Labour's policies around harbour health in Porirua. 

This is where I have to make an apology. I stupidly forgot to send in my response to the Guardians Of Pāuatahanui Inlet who asked for our policy position on the harbour (They asked me three years ago, and I did submit then). Mea culpa. 

I appreciated the kindness of their response when I fessed up. Their response was "Sorry you missed the cut as we are aware of your comprehensive knowledge of harbour and catchment issues. Your reply will live on, however.   We are short of trustees and in the unlikely event you are not returned to office you can guess who we will be in touch with to see if a voluntary form of public service might be contemplated!!

So, here is what I did send the Guardians, their questions and my responses:

Question one: What do you see as the challenges facing the Harbour?

Te Awarua-o-Porirua is a living taonga for Ngāti Toa Rangatira and a defining element of our city’s identity. The names of the Wards: Parirua, Onepoto me Pāuatahanui alludes to the intrinsic connection we have with our waterways. However, this taonga faces persistent and compounding challenges that threaten its mauri and the wellbeing of our communities.

A primary challenge is sedimentation and pollution entering the harbour through our urban streams and stormwater systems. These waterways carry sediment from construction sites, loose soil from insufficiently managed land, and contaminants from trade waste. Despite having rules and resource consents intended to limit this damage, enforcement is often weak or inconsistent. Without effective monitoring and prosecution, these controls lack teeth, allowing preventable discharges to continue.

Additionally, our ageing wastewater and stormwater infrastructure suffers from inflow and infiltration (I&I) issues, which mean that during heavy rainfall untreated sewage or stormwater overwhelms treatment capacity and is discharged directly into waterways. The underinvestment (and now belated work to catchup)  in renewing and upgrading these networks only highlights the consequences of inaction.

Climate change is also an intensifying factor. Rising sea levels and more frequent severe weather events threaten coastal infrastructure such as roads and community spaces, while also impacting the natural coastal ecosystems that provide resilience. Without proactive adaptation and mitigation, these pressures risk permanent damage to our harbour and its margins.

Perhaps most disheartening is the recent decision by Greater Wellington Regional Council to pause Plan Change 1, the region’s long-awaited freshwater quality rulebook. After more than a decade of work that was guided by mana whenua, community groups, councils, and expert panels, this pause sends a worrying signal. It risks undoing years of collaborative effort and leaves our harbours vulnerable to ongoing degradation. It also betrays the trust of the community and mana whenua, who have invested time and hope in meaningful freshwater protection. Furthermore, further weakening of the protections within the RMA will only exacerbate such inaction. 

Together, these challenges represent a complex web that demands urgent, sustained, and integrated responses.

Question Two: What would you do about these challenges if you are elected?

The transition to a new regional water services entity changes the governance landscape significantly. Porirua City Council will no longer directly determine when and how investments in water infrastructure happen. Despite this, it is critical that our Council remains a strong and vocal advocate for Porirua’s specific needs within this new framework. I will ensure that the incoming board understands that the health of Te Awarua-o-Porirua must be non-negotiable and prioritised with appropriate funding and action.

To this end, I have helped advance the development of a water charter. This charter articulates the principles that must underpin the new water entity’s governance and operations: transparency, fair pricing, public ownership, and crucially, local accountability. Most importantly, the charter upholds te mana o te wai: a concept that reinforces our collective responsibility to care for the water itself, recognising the spiritual and cultural dimensions of water management. This means ensuring water is protected both when it is taken for use and when it is returned to the environment. I have stated already that we must ensure that this charter is honoured.

Locally, I will continue to advocate strongly for the completion of the Wineera to Onepoto shared pathway and coastal resilience project. This initiative exemplifies how ecological restoration and community infrastructure can be integrated for mutual benefit. It enhances coastal resilience in the face of climate change while reconnecting communities with the harbour.

Furthermore, riparian planting is a vital tool in restoring our waterways and reducing sedimentation. The current Ministry for the Environment funding for planting expires in 2027, but this work cannot stop there. I will push our Council to commit to a bold, ongoing programme: planting at least one native plant for every person in Porirua every year. This is both a symbolic and practical goal to rebuild biodiversity, stabilise soils, and improve water quality.

Finally, leadership grounded in partnership with Ngāti Toa Rangatira and other mana whenua is essential. We must move beyond token consultation to shared governance models that honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and ensure accountability is truly shared. I will continue to advocate for stronger mechanisms in this space, and that includes a commitment to the existing structures including our Māori ward. We cannot afford to go backwards.

Question Three: What priorities do you see for the recently agreed Porirua Harbour Accord and for its signatories in meeting and resolving these challenges?

I was honoured to be in the wharenui at Takapūwāhia  to witness the signing of Te Wai Ora o Parirua / the Porirua Harbour Accord earlier this year.

For me this Accord represents a shared vision to restore and protect the ecological, cultural, and environmental health of Te Awarua-o-Porirua.

The priority now is to ensure that this commitment is translated into effective and well resourced actions with measurable outcomes.

Key priorities must include accelerating improvements in water quality, particularly through reducing sediment and faecal contamination entering the harbour from urban streams and catchments. This means not only continuing riparian and wetland restoration but also enforcing stronger controls on land use and stormwater discharge. I have covered some of this in my previous answers. 

Restoring biodiversity through native planting and habitat regeneration is another critical focus. This work supports both ecological resilience and climate adaptation, protecting the harbour’s mauri and the life it sustains. I see a role with our partners at GWRC and Ngāti Toa, for instance at Whitireia Park. 

The Accord also requires embedding iwi leadership through an iwi-led mauri ora approach. This is vital to honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and ensuring that mana whenua have genuine authority and responsibility in guiding harbour restoration efforts. 

Integration of sustainable water management with urban development must also be a top priority. Planning decisions must reflect environmental limits and not sacrifice the harbour’s health for short-term growth or economic expediency. One way to achieve this is to advocate central government with tools that incentivise growing up instead of out when it comes to new dwellings, especially in alignment with the current National Policy Statement on Urban Development. 

Importantly, the Accord mandates regular review and monitoring of progress. I have committed publicly to ensuring that Porirua City Council delivers an updated work plan before the end of this term to maintain transparency and momentum.

Finally, community engagement remains fundamental. The harbour belongs to all of us, and its restoration requires the active participation of residents and community groups as kaitiaki, rather than passive observers. The Accord must empower these local voices to have real influence in decision-making processes. Part of this could be achieved by an overhaul of our pre-LTP engagement methodology, based on the success of the Porirua Climate Assembly.

The road ahead is long, but with shared commitment, partnership, and clear priorities, the Accord can be the foundation for restoring the mauri of Te Awarua-o-Porirua for generations to come.