Ngapuhi mandated entity Tuhoronuku meet new Ministers

Media Release
17 November 2017

Ngāpuhi mandated entity Tūhoronuku meets with new Ministers

The Tūhoronuku Independent Mandated Authority (Tūhoronuku) Board of Trustees Executive met with the Hon. Andrew Little, the new Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations and Hon. Nanaia Mahuta, the new Minister for Māori Development in Waitangi today.

The meeting was the first opportunity for Tūhoronuku – the only entity to seek and receive a mandate from Ngāpuhi – to brief the incoming Ministers.

Tūhoronuku laid out the history of the Ngāpuhi claims process, from Hone Heke chopping down the flagstaff one week after signing Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840. They outlined their vision for the future, the mandating process, which began nine years ago, the post-¬Waitangi Tribunal urgent hearings recommended changes, which has evolved the mandate into a hapū-¬led entity. They also outlined the Ngāpuhi Rūnanga involvement and the outcomes they hoped would come from this pivotal meeting.

Said Tūhoronuku Chairman Hōne Sadler: “We were heartened by this cordial yet frank engagement with both Ministers, and buoyed by what they had to say. Minister Little agreed that the mandate we hold needs to be strengthened and that Tūhoronuku needed to think through how we would increase Hapū participation to achieve this. Minister Little also agreed that a full re-¬litigation of the mandate was not what the Crown had in mind.”

“We have also agreed to find a path to increase the confidence, trust and support of any Hapū who wish to join our process along with the 67 Hapū already engaged.

It is hoped that direction will be developed collaboratively within Ngāpuhi and agreed to internally with the Crown before Waitangi Day celebrations on 6 February 2018.”

Tūhoronuku was heartened by the fresh approach the Ministers brought to this hui and his commitment to hold more hui like this with Tūhoronuku and other stakeholders to find a way forward. Things evolve with time and the needs of Ngāpuhi are changing. Said Kuia Nora Rameka of Ngāti Rēhia: “from Hone Heke cutting down the flagpole, to Ngāpuhi today, the last of the big iwi to achieve settlement -¬ relationships with the Crown have always been tested. Our Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement will finally bring some economic prosperity that Heke saw slipping away due to colonisation and the dishonoring of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840.”

Key issues
• Ngāpuhi -¬ at the 2013 Census Ngāpuhi population 125,601, making up 19% of the total Māori population in Aotearoa (by far the biggest iwi). 20% live in Te Tai Tokerau.
• Number of active Ngāpuhi hapū estimated to be more than 100.
• Te Kotahitanga – a group which has never sought nor received mandate from Ngāpuhi, no democratically elected structure (unlike Tūhoronuku), no accountability nor formal reporting. Crown funded to participate in engagement process.

• Ngati Hine – Claim to be 46.6% of Ngāpuhi, but around 8% according to 2015 independent research completed by Waikato University.

• Role of Runanga – the Runanga’s purpose* is to “lead the spiritual, cultural, social and economic growth of Ngāpuhi. Our vision and mission is to ensure that the sacred house of Ngāpuhi stands firm.” Initiating the Ngāpuhi settlement was within the Runanga’s purpose. The Runanga has invested countless hours and under-¬wrote the process by several million to get the settlement to this point.
Timeline

1. 2008 – Ngāpuhi direct Runanga to lead Ngāpuhi into settlement
At the Kaikohe-¬based Te Runanga a iwi o Ngāpuhi AGM, by resolution, was directed to lead Ngāpuhi into settlement of Crown breaches against Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Runanga under-¬write cost of settlement journey until Crown recognise mandate

2. 2009 – an interim working group, Te Ropu o Tūhoronuku, was formed
Ngāpuhi consulted: 16 hui nationwide, mail-¬drop throughout North

3. 2010 – draft mandate structure developed for feedback by Ngāpuhi Presented at further 16 hui throughout Northland and country. Mandate voting delayed twice to allow further facilitation with opposing Hapū.

4. 2011 – Ngāpuhi give mandate to Tūhoronuku (76.4% of those who voted) Following biggest awareness and communications exercise in the history of iwi Maori including mainstream television and newspaper advertising. (The Crown was insistent Tūhoronuku have a major awareness campaign, so they could demonstrate all Ngāpuhi reached). Ngāpuhi everywhere encouraged to vote.

5. 2012 – Tūhoronuku submit Deed of Mandate to Crown, attempts to bring opposing Hapū onboard
Deed of Mandate submitted to the Crown following further delays for a
Crown appointed group to work with opposing Hapū. Crown then appoints Tainui leader Tuku Morgan as facilitator. His report dismissed by Tūhoronuku as “insulting to Ngāpuhi and amateurish.”

6. 2013 – Tūhoronuku representative structure amended, giving Hapū majority voice
Hapū now have majority voice with 15 representatives out of the 22 Trustees. Crown calls for submissions on amended mandate.

7. 2014 – Crown recognises amended Deed of Mandate, new election round for 22 Trustees
New elections held for 22 Tūhuronuku Independent Mandated Authority Trustees – unique within settlement world to hold new elections after mandate recognised.
Waitangi Tribunal holds Urgent Hearing into Ngāpuhi mandate.

8. 2015 – Tūhoronuku and Crown appoint settlement negotiators New Hapū Kaikorero elections held. 50% increase in number of Hapū represented on Tūhoronuku. Hui held throughout process now more than 100.
Waitangi Tribunal issues report calling for settlement to pause until more Hapū on board, but does not call for mandate round to begin anew.

9. 2016 – Crown sponsored “engagement” process held with Tūhoronuku and opposing Hapū grouping Te Kotahitanga (which has no mandate) given equal standing Funded and facilitated by Office of Treaty Settlement. Due to conclude end March 2016

10. 2017 – Prime Minister Bill English said Ngāpuhi should sort out its own representation for settlement negotiations. Tūhoronuku decided, within restricted budgetary confines, to test its 2011 mandate, to ensure it continues to have the support of Ngāpuhi. Horizon Research conducted independent survey and 70% of Ngāpuhi want Tūhoronuku to continue representing them in Treaty settlement negotiations with the Crown.

11. 2017 – Tūhoronuku had another round of consultation to test how Ngāpuhi felt about Tūhoronuku continuing to lead Ngāpuhi to Settlement. 70.4% supported Tūhoronuku to continue to lead Ngāpuhi in negotiations and settlement with the Crown. This is no different to the Mandating process vote of 76.4% being in favour of Tūhoronuku holding the Mandate on behalf of Ngāpuhi

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