Siani Walker leads the Māori Advisory services and brings a strong focus on the integration of Māori principles and practices into resource management planning, utilising her knowledge, skills and experiences. In particular, supporting and being guided by iwi/hapū to lay foundations to provide tangible benefits to iwi/hapū now, and for future generations to come. This includes navigating Council or Government agency systems and processes to incorporate and build understanding of Māori values, together with building meaningful relationships between iwi/hapū governance and kaitiaki in order to achieve inclusive outcomes for iwi/hapū/whānau, and generally for the wider community.
As an accredited and experienced RMA Hearings Commissioner, Siani works throughout Aotearoa, and is sought after for her experience integrating Māori values, policy and cultural heritage matters into the decision making process.
Siani is an Independent Commissioner for the Environmental Protection Authority, Auckland Council, Hamilton City Council, and the Far North District Council.
Key Person: Siani Walker
Siani was engaged as a Planning practitioner engaged by the Ministry for the Environment as a member of the reference group to review 30 years of iwi and hapū management plans. Her involvement provided insights to the process from her experience with, knowledge of, and implementation of, iwi management plans. Subsequently, Siani was engaged by the Ministry for the Environment as part of the ‘Access to Experts’ to support Ngāti Tamaoho with finalising their draft environmental management plan. The skills and expertise provided included liaising with the Kaitiaki lead to develop a draft and final environmental plan to progress iwi aspirations and outcomes.
Key Person: Siani Walker
Engaged by Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara as a resource with technical and cultural expertise to lead, implement and prepare a Cultural Values Assessment in collaboration with iwi and hapū representatives for a renewable energy project. This project includes the co-design of the CVA methodology, coordination and facilitation of iwi/hapū engagement to identify and incorporate cultural values and outcomes into a CVA for iwi/hapū.
Siani provided advice to Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara to assist with the integration of Māori cultural values into the Servicing Strategy for Helensville and Parakai, to ensure iwi input shaped long-term water and wastewater planning. Acting as a conduit, she engaged with Watercare technical experts and policy teams, to incorporate iwi perspectives to create sustainable, culturally responsive infrastructure solutions for future generations.
Key Person: Siani Walker
As part of the role Kāinga Ora have in the Government MAIHI Partnerships Programme, Bentley & Co have been responsible for providing planning advice for opportunities for iwi / hapū (such as papakāinga) on Māori freehold land across Aotearoa, and opportunities to partner with Kāinga Ora.
Bentley & Co undertook a review of vision and strategies for iwi / hapū, concept plans, and the relevant Regional and District Plans to advise on the provisions that apply to Māori land blocks so as to identify and outline the development opportunities for papakāinga development, transitional housing, or other development options to support cultural, environmental, social, and economic outcomes for iwi / hapū.
Key Persons: Siani Walker & Matt Round
