Hon Christopher Finlayson
Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
17 August 2017 Media Statement

Deed of Settlement signed with Ngāti Hei

The Crown has signed a deed of settlement with Ngāti Hei settling the iwi’s historical Treaty claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“Ngāti Hei suffered significant land loss as a result of transactions in the 19th century as well as the alienation and degradation of its cultural taonga such as the kauri forests of the Coromandel,” Mr Finlayson said.

“Although the Crown can never fully compensate Ngāti Hei for past injustices, today’s settlement marks the beginning of a new Crown-iwi relationship and will contribute to a stronger economic and culture future for Ngāti Hei.”

The settlement provides acknowledgements, an apology and redress for the Crown’s historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.

Ngāti Hei will receive financial and commercial redress of $8.5 million. Cultural redress includes a payment of $150,000 for the iwi’s cultural revitalisation as well as the transfer of 16 properties of cultural significance.

Ngāti Hei is one of the Iwi of Hauraki and will also receive collective redress as part of the Pare Hauraki Collective Redress Deed which was initialled in December last year.

“This is the 85th deed of settlement signed by the Crown,” Mr Finlayson said. “Today’s signing demonstrates the significant progress being made towards resolving historical grievances in Hauraki and throughout New Zealand.”

A summary of the Ngāti Hei settlement and a copy of the deed documents are available at: www.govt.nz/treaty-settlement-documents/ngati-hei/.

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