Frequently Asked Questions

IwiConnect is Aotearoa's iwi engagement platform. It helps councils, planners, and businesses engage with iwi and hapū in a way that is fast, respectful, and compliant with the RMA, LGA, and Te Tiriti.

For organisations that must meet engagement obligations and for iwi and hapū who expect transparency without added burden.

IwiConnect operates in Aotearoa New Zealand. Expansion to Australia and Canada is planned.

Upload your project details, we notify the right iwi and hapū using verified data sources, iwi respond through secure portals, and you download an audit-ready engagement report.

Any project that requires iwi or hapū consultation. This includes resource consents, plan changes, infrastructure works, and strategic planning.

We use official government and council datasets and iwi-provided information to match projects to rohe. While we maintain and verify this database, we cannot guarantee the absolute accuracy or currency of all data.

The platform is designed to support obligations under the RMA, LGA and Te Tiriti. It provides records that help you demonstrate a fair and transparent process.

You must ensure: all data you provide is accurate and authorised for use, you obtain any necessary internal approvals, and you accept that all engagement is undertaken at your own risk, as outlined in our Customer Terms of Use.

No. IwiConnect supports secure notification and clear records, but responses and timing depend on iwi priorities and capacity.

Iwi responses remain the intellectual property of the responding iwi. Use beyond the engagement requires iwi consent.

Yes. Reports are time-stamped and audit-ready. You remain responsible for how reports are used in formal processes.

Data is encrypted in transit and at rest. Access is role-based, monitored, and logged.

Standard retention is 12 months. Enterprise licences can specify different retention. You can request deletion at any time, subject to legal requirements.

Iwi retain ownership of their responses. Governance and security settings reflect kaupapa Māori.

Your authorised team, relevant iwi and hapū, limited IwiConnect staff for support, and trusted providers under confidentiality agreements. Only necessary information is shared.

SMEs and project teams pay $195 NZD plus GST per engagement. Councils and organisations use a custom licence with unlimited engagements and dashboards. Campaigns and expert support are priced separately.

Fees are non-refundable unless required by law. If you think there has been a billing error, contact support support@iwiconnect.com.

Yes. SMEs can stop using the service at any time. Licence terms for councils and organisations are managed through your agreement.

IwiConnect supports current versions of major browsers on desktop and mobile. For the best experience, enable cookies and modern TLS.

Via their preferred channels – email, SMS, or the iwi portal. Responses are secure and time-stamped.

Iwi can view all active and historical engagements in their rohe within the portal, subject to access controls.

Yes. The platform tracks activity and supports coordinated notifications to reduce duplication.

IwiConnect is free for iwi and hapū. To make sure notifications and engagement reach the right people, iwi need to keep their primary RMA contact details (name, email, and phone) up to date in the iwi portal.

Yes. All formal compliance engagement is directed through IwiConnect. This reduces duplication, protects iwi from multiple requests, and ensures there is a single, auditable record of engagement.

Te Pūtea Oranga Iwi is our commitment to give back. We contribute 5% of all iwi engagement fees into this independent fund, which supports kaupapa such as marae, education, health, sport, and cultural initiatives. Iwi must be onboarded for at least 12 months before they can apply, and decisions are made independently.

Yes. IwiConnect is not responsible for incomplete or late applications, and we do not guarantee the frequency or timing of funding rounds. Applications do not create any entitlement to payment, and outcomes are notified by email.

Maintenance and outages can occur. Service is restored as quickly as possible. Your records remain intact. For urgent matters, contact support (support@iwiconnect.com).

Email support@iwiconnect.com. For privacy issues, use the same address with the subject line Privacy.

Yes. Councils and organisations get onboarding and admin training with their licence. SMEs can access guided setup on request.

All are available on the website. You accept the relevant terms during sign up and when submitting a project.

Policies are reviewed at least annually or when services change. We notify users of material changes.