A Maketu-based marine research centre is to be established as part of the restoration and mitigation offer from the Rena owners and insurers.

Former Bay of Plenty Regional councillor and Maketu resident Raewyn Bennett says it's a package deal that covers a range of things in return for the coastal Te Arawa hapu withdrawing opposition to the resource consent application to leave the remainder of the Rena wreck on the Astrolabe Reef.

The Rena after striking the Astrolabe Reef on October 5, 2011. Photo: File.

'It's all going to come out with the resource consent process, all the details, says Raewyn.

'But for Te Arawa our first option would have been to get the wreck removed entirely. We know it can't be done without further wrecking the reef.

'And so we have taken this step, we will invest in building a research facility that is actually about the ongoing protection of the moana.”

She says it is the pragmatic approach. The settlement from Dain Shipping and The Swedish Club is not $750,000, and she won't give a figure.

'It's a whole package of things, it's not just cash, it's about resource consent conditions, it's about monitoring the mauri for the next 10 years, a whole lot of other things, - getting rid of rubbish.”

'We got the mauri package included in that.”

'Part of it was undertaking in agreeing to leave the body of the wreck the hard part that can't be removed without wrecking the rock further which was not acceptable to Te Arawa. We are looking at an investment in a matauranga Maori research facility in Maketu.

Former Bay of Plenty Regional councillor and Maketu resident Raewyn Bennett

The 37,000 tonne container ship Rena struck the reef on October 5, 2011. The ship had about 1368 containers and 1700 tonnes of heavy fuel oil on board.

With the bow of the ship stuck fast on the reef, wave action soon broke the ship's back, and spilled oil and cargo into the sea. Storms over the ensuring years resulted in wave action sliding the ship further down the reef, to where the bulk of the remnant now lies in water about 50m deep.

The depth makes further salvage work more difficult, more dangerous and more expensive.

In May 2014 Daina Shipping lodged resource consent applications under the Resource Management Act to leave sections of the wreck and associated debris in place on the reef, and to provide for any future discharges of contaminants that may arise from leaving the wreck in place.

The mitigation and restoration provisions of the resource consent application are part of the public record and have been available on line since May 2014.

'The intent of the Restoration and Mitigation Package is to provide funding for education, research and community projects for the people of Motiti, Te Arawa Iwi (Maketu), Tauranga Moana Iwi and the wider Bay of Plenty community. The funding is apportioned to those community groups and will be managed by the consent holder,” states the application.

The Astrolabe Community Trust is established to implement the funding package. The Trust will subsequently allocate funds to projects in accordance with defined principles or defined projects.

These are environmental, social, cultural and economic projects.

The projects can provide education and training in any of or several, marine and coastal sciences, environmental management, commercial fishing, navigation and seamanship, maritime industries, emergency management, pollution, contamination and related areas.

Also areas of research for the furtherance of knowledge in such matters as the marine and coastal environment, processes, oceanography, commercial and non-commercial fisheries, marine mammals and birds.

The Implementation of projects that provide for the remediation of coastal and marine environments for the benefit of local communities. Assist community groups and affected sector groups involved in surf life-saving, coast care, non-commercial fishing and diving, emergency response and management in the area of benefit.

The Maketu Te Arawa hapu is the first to announce reaching such an agreement. It's not well received.

The Remove the Rena Facebook page says it's very sad that some iwi would put the integrity of the environmental stand taken by other hapu and iwi up for sale in this way.

'Ngai Te Hapu is extremely disappointed that these Te Arawa iwi with coastal interests have chosen to take the money yet also want a say on what happens on Motiti on the taonga reef Otaiti because of their ancestral links. Through this action they spit on their ancestral links.

'It is a most selfish position especially when their small piece of coastline that was affected by the Rena oil spill was cleaned up largely through the voluntary efforts of the wider iwi and community. Did not see any of those iwi out on Motiti helping clean up the mess. Shameful.”

Kaumatua from the other Motiti hapu, Patuwai have in the past expressed sentiments similar to Raewyn Bennett's. They could not be contacted for this article.

Ngai Te hapu spokesman Buddy Mikaere believes Patuwai has turned down the restoration and mitigation offer. He believes Tauranga iwi Ngai Te Rangi iwi, Te Runanga o Ngati Awa and Nga Potiki a Tamapahore have also turned down offers.