Influential Indigenous voices? Evaluating cultural impact assessment effectiveness in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Māori have prepared their own impact assessments for three decades. Yet, there has been no evaluation of effectiveness. Asking practitioners and experts to reflect on their experiences with Cultural Impact Assessment (CIA), we addressed the question ‘how far do CIA go to deliver outcomes Māori define as positive’? Interweaving Indigenous lived experiences with Indigenous theory, we undertook a critical analysis of CIA effectiveness. We found that CIA are delivering positive outcomes, but these are highly variable, and fall short of substantial outcomes consistent with the partnership and the dual planning framework envisioned by the Treaty of Waitangi.¹ To be effective, CIA functions best when it is Indigenous-led and – in the wider Aotearoa New Zealand planning and impact assessment framework – also Treaty-led. The Māori experience contributes to the developing international field of Indigenous IA.

KEYWORDS:

• cultural impact assessment
• Aotearoa New Zealand
• Māori
• Indigenous impact assessment
• effectiveness

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Foundational constitutional document of New Zealand established in 1840 between British Crown and Māori leaders.

2. Formal process of claims for breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.

3. An Accidental Discovery Protocol sets out a process to be followed in the event that an unexpected archaeological discovery during construction or other project work. It is often included as a standard condition of consent.

4. Regional, territorial and city councils have the power to include consent conditions on resource consents (approvals to undertake an activity) to ensure adverse effects are managed.

5. Ko Aotearoa Tēnei (This is New Zealand) is the Waitangi Tribunal’s report into the claim known as Wai 262, which concerns the place of Māori culture, identity and traditional knowledge in contemporary New Zealand law, and government policy and practice.