Iwi/hapū boundaries do not necessarily align with local authority boundaries, and many councils have multiple iwi/hapū within their boundaries (see Te Kāhui Māngai - Directory of Iwi and Māori Organisations ).
Council practitioners will need to consider all the information, including instances where there are multiple iwi management plans (IMPs) and where there are no iwi management plans, and weigh the relevant issues when making a decision on resource management matters.
Multiple IMPs should be considered in the same way as multiple technical reports on a matter or multiple submissions, with council practitioners having regard for all the relevant values and points. The Environment Court, in Chapple, J v Bay of Plenty Regional Council [2006] W077/06, has held that it is not for the council or the Environment Court to decide who is entitled to mana whenua over an area. It is therefore not appropriate to weigh one iwi planning document over another if both claim mana whenua over a single area, but to ensure that matters in both are addressed. Other tangata whenua may not have an IMP and still need to be consulted and engaged with on plan development and resource consents.
Applicants for resource consent should be aware that boundaries between iwi/hapū often overlap. Each IMP will help with understanding the environmental and cultural values of the respective iwi or hapū. Each IMP should be used to inform and prepare comprehensive applications for resource consent. Again, good practice indicates the need to consult all groups.