Awanuiarangi settlement reached

A final settlement has been reached with Te Whare Wänanga o Awanuiarangi over its Treaty of Waitangi claim, ministers announced today. Education Minister Trevor Mallard, Associate Education Minister Steve Maharey, Maori Affairs and Associate Education Minister Parekura Horomia and representatives from Te Whare Wänanga o Awanuiarangi signed the Deed of Settlement at Parliament today.

The settlement follows a Waitangi Tribunal ruling in 1999 which found three tertiary education institution wananga, Te Whare Wänanga o Awanuiarangi, Te Wänanga o Aotearoa, and Te Wänanga o Raukawa were unfairly disadvantaged by not receiving establishment funding support from the Crown.

In 2000 the Labour government accepted the recommendations and began negotiating a settlement.

Te Whare Wänanga o Awanuiarangi, based in Whakatane, is the second of the three Wänanga to settle with the Crown. The settlement provides for $25 million over three years, and includes the $3.6 million provided over 2000 and 2001.

“Te Whare Wänanga o Awanuiarangi now has the capacity to realise its potential of providing quality tertiary education to the Mataatua people in Whakatane and throughout New Zealand. It already has a reputation for high standards, especially in the vital science area,” the ministers said.

The wananga intends to develop new or refurbished facilities in Auckland, Wellington, Tauranga, and Whakatane, a new science research facility, plus new Maori language and distance education programmes.

Te Wänanga o Aotearoa, based in Te Awamutu, was the first claimant to settle. Negotiations are progressing with Te Wänanga o Raukawa, the third of the claimants.

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