Brigid Livesey
Doctor of Philosophy
Study Completed: 2017
College of Health
Citation
Thesis Title
Planning to develop land returned under Treaty settlement in Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand: An institutional ethnography
Read article at Massey Research Online: 
Significant areas of urban land are returned to iwi and hapu through settlements for breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Using institutional ethnography, Ms Livesey explored a case study of the relationship between an iwi authority, Te Whakakitenga o Waikato, and a local authority, Hamilton City Council. Using critical discourse analysis, complemented by interviews, she found that commercial property development to regain 'economic sovereignty' is critical for Waikato-Tainui. Between 2009 and 2014, relationships between Hamilton City Council and Waikato-Tainui changed from adversarial to collaborative. Control, timing, and trust were key factors in this changing relationship. Communal ownership of land, inalienable title, and the concept of an 'integrated development agenda' described in iwi planning documents influenced development decisions made by Waikato-Tainui. Her research provides evidence for dual planning traditions in Aotearoa New Zealand, and identifies 'everyday' levers which planners can use to support Māori goals for land development and economic self-determination.
Supervisors
Professor Karen Witten
Professor Helen Moewaka Barnes