
The peoples of Southland in New Zealand have met with officials foremost trying to get an assurance over the contaminated Tiwai Point aluminium smelter cleaning up measures.

The nation’s Environment Ministry, Regional Council and Department of Conservation met a group of four rūnaka called Murihiku Regeneration.
This meeting has come up post seven months the ministry initiated discussions with Rio Tinto owned New Zealand Aluminium Smelter.
However, the Jacinda Ardern government discontinued discussions with Rio Tinto in the previous month, objecting that it did not disclose the environmental monitoring data.

It is also ratified that the inaugural meeting with Māori and officials did not get any new data.
The Murihiku collective involves Te Rūnaka o Awarua, Te Rūnaka o Waihōpai, Ōraka Aparima Rūnaka and Hokonui Rūnanga.
A 238-page preliminary cultural significance report about Tiwai was published in January 2021, ahead of more detailed studies.
The report stated: "The smelter is sited on one of Aotearoa's most important archaeological sites in terms of understanding early Māori culture. One of the main stone working sites is located in the smelter landfill area."
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