July 31, 2014

Waikato-Tainui marae to receive $15 million top up

Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui marae are set to receive a one-off grant worth more than $15 million.

Following the call from Te Kauhanganui, sixty-six marae will receive a base grant of $150,000 and an additional per capita grant based on the Waikato-Tainui tribal register. Rahui Papa, Chairman of Waikato-Tainui tribal executive Te Arataura, says the value of the grant reflects the tribe’s focus on marae development.

“The tribe’s long-term strategy for development – Whakatupuranga 2050, recognises the importance of developing our marae to become self-sufficient and this grant brings the tribe a step closer to realising this goal.”

Mr Papa says, “This investment will encourage the holistic development of our people, marae, hapuu and iwi as it’s intended to support our marae with facilities projects and also help them to initiate marae-based programmes that are by marae and for marae people.”

The marae grant, which will be distributed in August, is part of the first distribution of the tribe’s relativity funds. Waikato-Tainui received its first instalment of relativity funds in 2012 and since then it has held a series of marae workshops to identify the aspirations of tribal members.

Mr Papa says, “Tribal members want relativity funds to be invested in a way that provides for future generations, supports non-commercial investments in our people and realises the goals and aspirations outlined in Whakatupuranga 2050.”

About Relativity:
• Since Waikato-Tainui was the first iwi to settle, the tribe negotiated a relativity clause in the 1995 Waikato-Tainui Deed of Settlement to ensure that the value of the redress given to the iwi would be protected.
• The relativity mechanism enables Waikato-Tainui to claim additional redress if the total value of settlement redress exceeds $1 billion in 1994 present value dollars. The $1 billion mark was reached in June 2012.
• The relativity clause provides for Waikato-Tainui to make further claims for additional payments every five years up until 2044.

ENDS

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