Te Wai Takamori o Te Awakairangi:
RiverLink
Embedding Cultural Integrity in Infrastructure
Te Wai Takamori o Te Awakairangi (RiverLink)
Project:
Hutt City Council (on behalf of Project Partners)
Client:
Greater Wellington Regional Council, Hutt City Council, Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency
Worked with:
Lower Hutt
Location:
2021-2023
Project Date:
New Zealand Planning Institute Best Practice Award for Integrated Planning and Investigations (2023)
Award:
Jade Wikaira (Iwi Integration Lead)
Marcus Bishop (Iwi Technical Lead)
Ida Kohu (Project Management)
Roles:
Technical Planning, Iwi Integration
Type:
Challenge
Lower Hutt sits on Aotearoa’s most densely populated floodplain, making it highly vulnerable to flooding. With the population projected to grow by 15% in the next decade, the risk to homes, businesses, and transport networks was escalating. RiverLink was enacted to strengthen flood protection, upgrade transport connections, and renew the city centre while ensuring the river and its communities thrive together.
The programme design needed to uphold cultural integrity as the central component of the project was Te Awa Kairangi – the Hutt River. The challenge lay in shaping the programme so cultural values were integrated across governance, design, and delivery. Deliberate mechanisms need to be set to ensure mana whenua perspectives informed the technical complexities across this project and all its partners.
Our role
Wikaira Consulting led iwi integration for RiverLink. Mana whenua gifted the project name, meaning “the soothing waters of Te Awa Kairangi”, and we made sure that cultural values and kaitiakitanga were embedded throughout the programme. Acting as technical advisors for mana whenua, we translated complex designs and reports into actionable insights, enabling iwi to influence governance, planning, and delivery.
Leadership: Connected mana whenua into governance and strategic decision-making.
Planning: Embedded cultural planning expertise across technical workstreams and design documentation.
Delivery: Managed processes aligning iwi aspirations with programme milestones.
How we delivered
Large-scale infrastructure projects demand expertise, diplomacy, and endurance. We worked across multiple partners, balancing technical and financial pressures while keeping cultural priorities visible. Our role was to also hold partners accountable, firmly and respectfully, so that kaitiakitanga remained a non-negotiable principle.
Our team facilitated hui and workshops, supported the Mana Whenua Steering Group, guiding iwi through a complex suite of consenting processes. We built trust that became the backbone of the project, ensuring iwi voices shaped decisions at every level.
Impact
RiverLink set a new benchmark for integrated planning. Cultural integrity was woven into governance, planning, and delivery. Mana whenua leadership and iwi submissions to the Environmental Court reinforced the vision for environmental and community benefits.
This approach earned national recognition: RiverLink won the New Zealand Planning Institute’s Best Practice Award for Integrated Planning and Investigations (2023).
Key Insight
Years of planning and negotiation taught us to set clear expectations early and champion cultural competency across partners. By doing so, we empower others to lead with confidence in cultural capability.
