The Hauraki Gulf Users Group was formed in 2022 in response to proposals that would have fundamentally changed the way the Hauraki Gulf is governed, including shifting decision-making authority away from democratically elected representatives towards a co-governance structure involving unelected appointees.

We believe the Hauraki Gulf is a public treasure that belongs to all New Zealanders. Generations of people have fished, boated, sailed, worked and enjoyed its waters, islands and coastline, and we strongly support protecting and restoring the Gulf for future generations.

But environmental protection and democratic accountability must go hand in hand.

Decisions affecting access to, use of, and management of the Hauraki Gulf can have significant consequences for hundreds of thousands of recreational users, coastal communities and businesses. Those decisions should therefore be made through open and transparent democratic processes by representatives who are elected by, and accountable to, the public.

Since its formation, the Hauraki Gulf Users Group has continued to scrutinise proposals affecting the Gulf and to speak on behalf of people who believe its future should not be determined by unelected bodies or through arrangements that diminish public accountability.

Our position is straightforward: protect the Hauraki Gulf, preserve public access, and keep the ultimate decisions about its future in the hands of democratically elected representatives.