19 December 2001 Media Statement

Ngati Tama settlement signed

20 December 2001

The Crown and representatives of Ngati Tama (north Taranaki) have signed a Deed of Settlement following a 98% vote in favour of the proposal by members of Ngati Tama. 61% of eligible members cast a vote.

The signing took place at parliament today.

The Deed provides for a formal apology, a payment of $14.5 million dollars and cultural redress including the transfer of approximately 1,800 hectares of land (much of which is subject to a conservation covenant). The settlement is binding on both parties and subject to the passage of settlement legislation.

The Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Margaret Wilson, said the negotiators had reached a fair settlement which provides redress for proven wrongs done in the past.

The wrongs included unjustified military invasion and occupation, confiscation of land, the sacking of Parihaka, the “return” of tribal land in individual title, the unfair operation of leases and the imposition of previous “settlements” which were not agreed by Ngati Tama.

“The signing of the Deed marks the end of the period of grievance and begins a new stage in the relationship between the Crown and Ngati Tama. The next step will be the legislation to give effect to the settlement. I expect it to be before the House next year, after Ngati Tama have established a governance body to receive and administer the settlement redress.

Margaret Wilson congratulated the leaders of Ngati Tama who had guided the resolution of complex and emotionally-charged issues.

“I also congratulate the members of the iwi. They have demonstrated the importance of the issues by vigorous debate and negotiation of the settlement offer, followed by a resounding vote in favour”.

The signing of the Deed of Settlement will be celebrated at Pukearuhe Marae in Taranaki early next year.

A Maori translation of this statement is attached

Hon Margaret Wilson
Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations
Te Minita nöna te Mana Whakarite Take e pä ana ki te Tiriti o Waitangi

Kua hainatia te whakataunga o te take o Ngäti Tama

20 December 2001

Kua hainatia e te Karauna me ngä kanohi o Ngäti Tama (te rohe whaka-te-raki o Taranaki) tëtahi Whakaaetanga Whakataunga, i muri i te pöti whakaae ki te whakatau o te 98 örau o ngä tängata o Ngäti Tama. 61 örau o ngä uri whai mana o te iwi i pöti.

I tü te hainatanga nei i te Whare Päremata i te rangi nei.

Ko tëtahi wähanga o te Whakaaetanga nei he whakapäha mö ngä mahi hë o mua, te utu i te 14.5 miriona tära, ko te whakatikatika i te noho pai o ngä ähuatanga o te iwi; kei raro i tënei wehenga o te whakataunga ko te whakawhiti i tëtahi 1,800 heketea whenua (he nui tonu ënei whenua kei raro i ngä ritenga rähui whenua). He whakataunga tënei e herea ai ngä taha e rua, ä, mä te putanga o te ture whakatau, ka tino whai mana ai.

E ai ki te Minita nöna te Mana Whakarite Take e pä ana ki te Tiriti o Waitangi, ki a Margaret Wilson, nä ngä kaiwhiriwhiri i whakarite tëtahi whakataunga tötika mö ngä hara o mua, he mea äta tätaku ënei hë.

Ko ëtahi o aua hë ko te whakaeketanga hë i ö rätou whenua e ngä höia, ko te noho hë i runga i te whenua, ko te muru whenua, ko te pähoro o Parihaka, ko te “whakahokinga” o ngä whenua ä-iwi i raro i ngä taitara takitahi, ko ngä whakaritenga hë o ngä rïhi, me te whakamanatanga mai o ngä “whakataunga” o mua kïhai i whakaaetia e Ngäti Tama.

“Mä te hainatanga o te Whakaaetanga e mutu ai ngä wä o te aurere, he wä hou tënei mö te whakahoatanga i waenganui i te Karauna me Ngäti Tama. Ko te wähanga e whai ake ana hei whakapümau i te whakatau. Ki taku möhio ka uru te Ture ki te Whare Päremata ä te tau e tü mai nei, arä, kia whakatüria tëtahi röpü kaitiaki e Ngäti Tama, he röpü hei tütohu, hei whakahaere hoki i ngä rawa whakatau take.”

Kei te tino mihi a Margaret Wilson ki ngä kaiärahi o Ngäti Tama nä rätou i ärahi te whakataunga o ënei kaupapa uaua, kaupapa whakahëmanawa i te ngäkau.

“E mihi ana anö hoki ki ngä uri katoa o te iwi. Märama tonu te whakaatu mai he take nui tënei ki a rätou, nä roto i te pai o te taukumekume whakaaro, nä te takawaenga i te kaupapa whakatau, ä, kua pöti nei hoki te tini kia whakaae ki te whakataunga.”

Ka whakanuia te hainatanga o te Whakaaetanga i Pukearuhe Marae ä ngä marama tuatahi o te tau e tü mai nei.

3.30pm 20 December 2001

The Deed of Settlement between Ngati Tama and the Crown will be signed at a ceremony today on level one, the Beehive, at 3.30pm.

The event will commence with a powhiri, to be followed by mihi, an address by the Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Margaret Wilson, and the signing itself.

Refreshments will be served following the ceremony in the ground floor foyer.

ENDS

© Scoop Media