Iwi Look Forward To New Era Of Cooperation With Crown

The willingness of the current National Government to include Maori at the ‘top table’ of decision-making represents the greatest opportunity Maori have had for decades to launch ourselves into a new era of economic development and prosperity, said Tukoroirangi Morgan, Te Arataura Chair Waikato-Tainui at the Iwi Leaders Forum held at Te Kauhanganui in Hopuhopu yesterday.

“We still face significant and complex issues in the areas of fresh water management, mineral and oil exploration and climate change, which as likely to stretch goodwill on both sides, but I am more confident than ever that workable solutions can be found,” said Mr Morgan.

Mr Morgan was the convenor of the Iwi Leaders Forum, held in the Te Kauhanganui Chambers of Waikato-Tainui. It was the largest gathering of Iwi leaders in recent years, 51 of 57 Iwi (recognised by Te Ohu Kaimoana) sent representatives, and came during celebrations for the fourth anniversary of the coronation of Kiingi Tuheitia.

Iwi leaders at the Forum heard presentations from some of the leading minds in Maoridom, including former Justice Hon. Sir Taihakurei Eddie Durie (ret.) on developing a principled framework to guide negotiations around Water access and usage. Mark Solomon (Ngai Tahu) delivered a paper on the opportunities for Iwi participation in Public Private Partnerships and Rikirangi Gage (Whanau a Apanui) presented a paper on Oil Drilling & Mining Exploration.

“Our message to this Government is that Iwi will be the economic powerhouses of the future and are ideally placed to be the natural partners of government in many spheres of activity,” said Tukoroirangi Morgan.

“Public-private partnerships, for example, present particularly exciting opportunities, not just for Waikato-Tainui and Ngai Tahu, which are already collaborating on key investment opportunities, but also for other Iwi that see the natural synergies existing between long term Maori aspirations and the country’s need for significant new investment in infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals

“Infrastructure is an inter-generational asset and as such has a very long life that will enable us to secure stable returns on the capital invested, which can then be used to benefit the generations to come,” said Mr Morgan.

Prime Minister John Key delivered the keynote address at a dinner following the conclusion of the Forum where he spoke positively of the strong relationships that currently existed between Iwi and the Government.

The Iwi Leaders Forum was jointly sponsored by Waikato-Tainui and Mighty River Power.

ENDS

© Scoop Media