10 March 2009

EMBARGOED TO 10AM WEDNESDAY 11 MARCH 2009

Te Atiawa Signs Agreement With Crown

Te Atiawa Ki Te Tau Ihu (Te Atiawa of the top of the South Island) have today signed an agreement that sets out the blueprint of the Crown’s offer to settle the Historical Treaty Grievances of Te Atiawa.

The value of the cash and assets that the Crown will pay to Te Atiawa amounts to approximately $24 million.

Te Atiawa is one of eight tribes of the top of the South Island who have been involved in intensive negotiations with the Crown over the last 18 months. Four of the eight tribes, including Te Atiawa, formed a group for the purposes of negotiation. The four other tribes formed two separate negotiating teams to undertake their negotiations with the Crown. All eight tribes have signed agreements in principle to settle their treaty claims.

“This is a monumental day for our tribe,” said Archdeacon Harvey Ruru, the Chair of Te Atiawa. “Although the value that the Crown is prepared to pay to Te Atiawa is far less than the value of the land and assets wrongfully taken by the Crown, Te Atiawa has graciously accepted that the nation is unable to fully compensate it for the true loss sustained to Te Atiawa.

“We want to move into development mode so that in the future Te Atiawa will have sustained growth and prosperity,” said Sharon Gemmell, the lead Te Atiawa negotiator. “I would also like to acknowledge the valuable contribution of the Waitangi Tribunal whose report on the Te Atiawa claims clearly showed the wrongs that had been committed by the Crown that left Te Atiawa landless and in poverty that was impossible to recover from,” she said.

Te Atiawa have cash and assets to move forward and will be in a better position to establish a fitting relationship with local government in the Tasman and Marlborough Region for the betterment of all residents. How Te Atiawa will invest its money will be the subject of consultation with iwi in the near future.

…ends

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