Relationship Agreements Established Under the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004

Under the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004, the Ministry is responsible for administering the Ministry for Culture and Heritage Relationship Instrument. A relationship instrument established under the Act sets out how a particular government agency intends to interact with a claimant group and enable that group to have input into its decision-making processes.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage Relationship Instrument sets out how the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, and the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s Chief Executive will interact with iwi groups on matters relating to newly found taonga tūturu, the export of taonga tūturu, the Protected Objects Act 1975, and any other negotiated matters included in the relationship instrument.

Currently the Ministry is undertaking negotiations with various iwi to develop a relationship agreement as required by the Foreshore and Seabed Act 2004, however at this stage, negotiations have not been concluded.