On 14 January 2021, it was announced that the Tiwai Smelter will close in 2024. The story of Tiwai is complex. For many years the Tiwai Smelter operated with little disruption, with the owners of the smelter seeming to ‘hold all the cards’ in making sure the smelter remained open and viable. The environmental and cultural impacts of the smelter drew little attention.
Murihiku Regeneration is concerned about the long-term socio-economic, environmental, and cultural effects of the Tiwai Smelter closure.
On 7 April 2022 NZAS released the findings of its Preliminary Closure Study. Find out more about it and read the documents released.
Read the documents and have some feedback? Let us know! Fill out our Have your say online form.
Tiwai project - Awarua taking the lead
The Awarua Working Group (AWG) has set up a website to keep interested parties up to date with Tiwai Remediation: Cultural, Historical, Social.
The AWG has been set up to develop, drive and monitor the programme of work involving the closure of the Tiwai smelter, and site remediation is being undertaken by Te Rūnaka o Awarua.
Awarua Rūnaka wants to ensure there is a continuation of a social and cultural lens taken when a successful remediation of Tiwai Point is described for our future generations. This looks like a safe continuation and enhancement of the activities undertaken – past, present, and future – with a level of confidence that these activities are safe (fishing, mahinga kai).
This site is not just an industrial site, but a site used for social and cultural purposes, that extend to the surrounding land and sea.
The AWG has developed a remediation strategy to deliver successful remediation of Tiwai Point.
Download the Te Rūnaka o Awarua Remediation Strategy for Tiwai Point (PDF, 837.21 kB).
The four core goals are as follows:
Goal 1: Preserve the past
Goal 2: Safely continue present activities
Goal 3: Preparation and readiness for future use
Goal 4: Enduring partnerships
Project Lead - Michael Stevens
Project Manager - Megan Reid
Project Team:
- Dean Whaanga
- Aimee Kaio
- Gail Thomson
- Jacqui Caine
Have your say! Give us your feedback, thoughts, and ideas.