Te Runanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust

2 July 2013

Treaty settlement a step closer for Ngāi Te Rangi

Ngāi Te Rangi has reached an agreement with the Crown that will see the Tauranga-based iwi move closer toward settling their historical Treaty of Waitangi claims.

After almost three years of negotiations, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi Trust and Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson recently reached an agreement in principle, which outlines what redress the Crown is offering the iwi due to breaching their rights under the Treaty of Waitangi that in turn saw them lose significant amounts of land.

"We were asked by our people to negotiate a deal that would help move us into the future and we are confident we have achieved that in our talks at the table," said the Mita Ririnui, one of the iwi's negotiators.

"All our hapū and marae groups have been supportive of our negotiations and next month all our people, age 18 and over spread throughout the country and world, will be asked whether they want the deal because it can only be made a reality if they give it their tick.

"Our decision to AIP is not made lightly, in fact in the early stages of our negotiations we didn't except the Crown's first offer but since then we've been able to improve that."

The redress includes $29.5 million cash, key sites vested in Ngāi Te Rangi, including, Maungarangi Pā (Waitao River), Te Rereatukahia (coastal strip at Tetley Road, Katikati), Karewa Island (opposite Matakana Island) and Motuotau (opposite Omanu beach). Also included in the redress offer is a right for the iwi to purchase (and lease back) land in Mt Maunganui and Tauranga that several schools are located on as well as a number of Crown properties from Waihi beach to the Port of Tauranga to Papamoa.

Information and voting packs are expected to be sent to all adult iwi members registered with the trust in August, following the initialling of the Deed of Settlement.

While meetings will be held in August throughout the country to consult iwi members on the detail of the deed, Mr Ririnui encouraged as many iwi members to attend any one of the following hui-a-iwi that would be held over the next two weeks:

· Tuesday 9 July at Waikari Marae starting 6pm.

· Thursday 11 July at Te Rereatukahia Marae starting 6pm.

The negotiations have been led by Mr Ririnui and legal Treaty expert Spencer Webster – a partner in Tauranga law firm Koning Webster. Both hail from Ngāi Te Rangi. Wellington-based solicitor Mataanuku Mahuika has led the negotiations for Nga Potiki a Tamapahore, a hapū of Ngāi Te Rangi, which is also party to the proposed settlement.

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