Bay of Plenty iwi are appealing to the Environment Minister claiming they have been treated unfairly after three Rena iwi liason roles were scrapped.

The roles were disestablished earlier this year as part of a central government process to reduce resources allocated to the Rena Long Term Recovery Plan.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chair John Cronin and former Environment Minister Nick Smith as they annouced the Long Term Rena Recovery Plan.

Then Environment Minister Nick Smith announced the long term plan in January last year, following the grounding of the Rena on Astrolabe Reef on October 5, 2011.

As part of the plan, iwi and local authorities agreed to work in a partnership to restore affected beaches, seabeds, water, fisheries and wildlife to its pre-Rena state.

Forum chairperson Te Awanui Black says the disestablishment of the three iwi liason positions came without warning and not in good faith.

'It wasn't direct, it was essentially dropped on us.

'We had no previous approach made to us. It was out of the blue, big time.”

He claims the disestablishment has taken away the 'infrastructure” necessary to continue working towards the wreck's recovery.

'They are essential in terms of coordination of all our efforts in the last couple of years and losing this means we no longer have that function.”

Rena Recovery manager Bruce Fraser says the disestablishment is a result of an extensive process to reduce the resourcing requirements of the recovery plan.

Earlier this year, the issue went before a governance meeting chaired by the Environment Minister – including local government officials and local iwi – and a steering group meeting, both of which agreed to reduce resource levels.

Bruce, contracted by Bay of Plenty Regional Council, says the change means the recovery project is now overseen by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council rather than central government – despite still being funded by government.

'The overall resourcing for it has gone down. There was a process followed and whether that was adequate for iwi is for them to comment on.”

Read more about the original Rena Recovery Plan here.

Te Moana A Toi Iwi Leaders forum are currently writing a letter to Environment Minister Amy Adams outlining concerns along with ensuring iwi are properly catered for during the wreck's recovery.
Te Awanui says then Environment Minister Nick Smith was originally told during the recovery plan's formation iwi are not just an interest group, but tangata whenua and Treaty partners.