14 November 2012

Waikawa-based Te Ātiawa Manawhenua Ki Te Tau Ihu Trust reach final stages of historic Treaty settlement journey

A statement
by Te Ātiawa Manawhenua ki Te Tau Ihu Trust Chairperson
Glenice Paine

Te Ātiawa Manawhenua ki Te Tau Ihu Trust is pleased to announce we have reached the final stages of our historic Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement journey.

Over the coming weeks Te Ātiawa Manawhenua ki Te Tau Ihu Trust will:

• Hold hui throughout Marlborough and Nelson, also Christchurch, Lower Hutt, Taranaki and Auckland to ratify the Iwi’s Deed of Settlement and Post-Settlement Governance Entity.
• Hold postal and on-line ratification voting from Saturday 17 November to Friday 14 December for those Te Ātiawa who are not able to attend one of the nine hui.
• Sign our Deed of Settlement with the Crown at 3pm on Friday 21 December at Waikawa Marae in Picton, if the Deed of Settlement is ratified.

As Chairperson, and on behalf of the Te Ātiawa Trust Board, I would like to say that the coming ratification hui provide an opportunity to celebrate as Te Ātiawa Manawhenua ki Te Tau Ihu and a chance to meet and reflect on the contribution that Iwi members have made over the last two decades in making this settlement a reality.

Special mention must be made about those kaumātua who had the foresight in initiating the Waitangi Tribunal Claims and the commitment to continue on with the claims process with little or no resources. Sadly, many of those kaumātua are no longer with us.

“E ngā raukura e tītōhea i te komato kōrero o Taranaki, e tukua ake te ia o te kawa ki runga rātou me kī, mai te korokoro o Parata tātou nei ngā uki e kōkiri”

The following is background on the process that will move Te Ātiawa to a Settlement signing on the 21 December 2012.

• Te Ātiawa Manawhenua Ki Te Tau Ihu members are being asked to ratify the Deed of Settlement and Post-Settlement Governance Entity (PSGE) between 17 November and 14 December 2012.

• Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui Trust is the proposed Post-Settlement Governance Entity to receive the settlement redress.

• Nine ratification hui will be held for Te Ātiawa Manawhenua Ki Te Tau Ihu members . throughout Marlborough and Nelson, also Christchurch, Lower Hutt, Taranaki and Auckland. Check Te Ātiawa website www.teatiawatrust.co.nz for all venue details and dates.

• The first ratification will be held at Waikawa Marae on Saturday 17 November at 10.30 am and the next hui is Sunday 18 November at Te Āwhina Marae at 1.00 pm.

• Members will be able to vote in three ways: by postal vote, internet ballot or at a ratification hui.

• All persons 18 years and over who affiliate to Te Ātiawa Manawhenua ki Te Tau Ihu will be eligible to vote. Voting closes at 5.00 pm Friday 14 December 2012.

• On Friday 16 November full copies of the Deed of Settlement may be viewed on Te Ātiawa website www.teatiawatrust.co.nz, Office of Treaty Settlements website www.ots.govt.nz and at Te Ātiawa Trust office at Waikawa Marae.

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