The Minister of Maori Affairs the Hon Parekura Horomia paid special tribute to Ngati Ruanui and to his colleague the Hon Margaret Wilson at the initialling of the deed of settlement for Ngati Ruanui.

Mr Horomia said negotiations are often not an easy task and must be undertaken with goodwill on both sides.

"It is also important to ensure that people behind the negotiations are always kept informed. Unanimous support at any one time is unlikely so there must always be the opportunity for those who don't agree to change their minds and come on board later."

The deed of settlement will now be taken back to the wider whanau of Ngati Ruanui who must endorse the settlement before it goes any further.

The Minister of Maori Affairs looks forward to the settlement of the claim, which will then release resources for Ngati Ruanui to continue with its plans for the future development of its people.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>