Media release
21 July 2014

Legislation unites the tribes of Auckland with their ancestral maunga

Parliament will pass law this week (Thursday) to provide Treaty redress for the shared interests of 13 Auckland iwi and hapū in relation to 14 tūpuna maunga (volcanic cones), motu (islands) and land within Tāmaki Makaurau. It also provides for a 172 year right of first refusal over surplus Crown properties in the Auckland region and the assignment and alteration of landmark geographic names.

Historic Treaty claims will be addressed in other settlement legislation with these Mana Whenua iwi and hapū.

The legislation provides that the ownership of significant maunga will vest in Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau – the Tāmaki Collective.

The volcanic cones will come under the co-governance of the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority (Maunga Authority) made up of equal representatives of the Tāmaki Collective and Auckland Council, and a non-voting Crown representative.

Attending the third reading of the Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Bill will be the leadership of the Tāmaki Collective along with Mayor Len Brown and Council representatives.

“This is a most important event for all of Auckland. It recognises the importance of our volcanic cones to mana whenua in a tangible way,” said Len Brown. “It should ensure on-going active care and respect for our tūpuna maunga.”

“To get to this point is a tribute to the combined commitment of the 13 mana whenua tribes in the Tāmaki Collective and the Crown representatives. The council, particularly through its six elected representatives who will serve on the Maunga Authority, is ready for the role that it will play in the co-governance relationship.”

He added: “This new relationship will also contribute significantly to the council’s aim to be more actively involved in its engagement with Māori.”

Under the terms of the settlement, the maunga cones are vested in mana whenua, Public access is maintained, each maunga will remain a reserve, and the council will continue to be responsible for the routine management of the maunga, under the direction of the Maunga Authority.

Tāmaki Collective chair Paul Majurey said: “The legislation completes five years of collective tribal endeavour. As the tūpuna maunga are iconic, so too will the face of Auckland be defined in the generations to come by Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau.”

The Maunga Authority will have its first formal meeting in September.

What the redress means

The redress includes:

• Vesting of certain volcanic cones in the Tāmaki Collective and a co-governance partnership with the Auckland Council over those maunga

• A long-term right of first refusal over certain land held by the Crown in Tāmaki Makaurau

• The vesting and re-vesting of certain motu (islands), vesting of certain Rangitoto Island properties and the recording of iwi and hapū interests, and the start of the Tāmaki Makaurau Motu Plan by the Department of Conservation.

Ends

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