Let Ngāpuhi speak - Tūhoronuku to hui with Ngāpuhi throughout August

• Tūhoronuku to hui throughout Tai Tokerau, Auckland, elsewhere in Aotearoa during August.

• Also, a nationwide survey to be held by an independent polling company

• Te Kotahitanga refuses to meet with Tūhoronuku, despite urging of Prime Minister.

• With a reconfirmed mandate from Ngāpuhi, Tūhoronuku expects to begin negotiating a settlement with the Crown soon after the September general election.

The Tūhoronuku Independent Mandated Authority is to reach out to Ngāpuhi throughout the Tai Tokerau, Auckland and elsewhere in Aotearoa during August to seek Ngāpuhi views on moving forward, settlement negotiations and issues important to them.

This follows the refusal of Te Kotahitanga leadership to meet with Tūhoronuku to resolve any internal issues, as urged by Prime Minister Bill English in June this year.

Said Tūhoronuku IMA chairman Hone Sadler: “We have written to Te Kotahitanga leadership twice offering to meet any time, any place. They just refuse to meet point blank, preferring to go into the media and insult the Prime Minister.

“Therefore, Tūhoronuku has decided to take the bull by the horns and go out to engage with our Ngāpuhi whānau. Following this we will report back on what Ngāpuhi has directed us to do and we would expect the Government of the day – of whatever stripe – to begin negotiations with us immeditely after the September elections.”

He said the nationwide hui round would be supplemented with an independent HorizonPoll* to allow those unable to come to the hui to have their say on the key issues, including settlement negotiations and the future of our Ngāpuhi whānau.

He said it was well known the Government had stopped settlement funding to Tūhoronuku some time ago. In June the Prime Minister said the Government was now stepping back completely and Ngāpuhi had to resolve issues themselves.

Mr Sadler said Tūhoronuku had approached Te Rūnanga-ā-iwi o Ngāpuhi to fund the August consultation round. “With the Crown withholding funds, we are forced to go to our iwi authority.”

The Rūnanga board had agreed to this request (to a maximum of $50,000), as settlement of all Te Tiriti o Waitangi grievances and breaches by the Crown against Ngāpuhi fall within the purpose** of the Rūnanga deed.

*Tūhoronuku commissioned HorizonPolls in 2011, 2013 and 2015 to consult with Ngāpuhi on key issues, including what they hoped to achieve from settlement.

**As the Mandated Iwi Authority for Ngāpuhi, the Rūnanga leads the spiritual, social, cultural, environmental and economic growth for all Ngāpuhi and builds enduring relationships and creates opportunities to help realise Ngāpuhi collective interests, dreams and aspirations.

What is the Tūhoronuku IMA?

• The Tūhoronuku Independent Mandated Authority is the mandated entity for all Ngāpuhi, no matter where we live. In September 2011, Ngāpuhi voted overwhelmingly (76.4% of those who voted) to give their mandate to Te Rōpū o Tūhoronuku.

• On 14 February 2014, the mandate Ngāpuhi gave Tūhoronuku was officially recognised by the Minister of Māori Affairs and the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations.

• The number of representatives on the Tūhoronuku IMA was increased, with hapū representatives now having the majority voice – 15 of the 22 representatives.

• New elections were held for the 22 Tūhoronuku IMA representatives from March to July 2014.

• Dame Paula Rebstock was appointed financial auditor of Tūhoronuku in 2009 and gave operations and governance a clean bill of health each year.

What is the Tūhoronuku IMA purpose?

• According to the Tūhoronuku IMA Trust Deed the purpose is to negotiate a settlement of all Te Tiriti o Waitangi grievances and breaches by the Crown against Ngāpuhi.

What is Te Kotahitanga o Ngā Hapū Ngāpuhi?

• A small vocal group that has never sought nor received mandate from Ngāpuhi, with no democratically elected structure, no accountability and no formal reporting – unlike Tūhoronuku, which has all these. Until recently, the Crown funded Te Kotahitanga to participate in the engagement process.

ENDS

© Scoop Media