Waitangi Tribunal
Media Statement
Monday 25 June 2007
www.waitangitribunal.govt.nz

WAITANGI TRIBUNAL REPORT ON CLAIMS IN THE CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND REGION - VOLUME ONE

The Waitangi Tribunal has today released the first volume of its report on Treaty claims in the Central North Island region.

This inquiry was the largest ever undertaken by the Tribunal and was completed in record time, taking only 4 years from start-up to report release. It covers the historical and contemporary claims of more than 120 claimants from a wide area stretching from the Bay of Plenty coast and Rotorua to south of Lake Taupō and including most of the Kaingaroa forest.

To assist claimants and Crown into early settlement negotiations, the Tribunal agreed to focus the first stage of its inquiry on the big picture issues affecting most claimants in the region, and to report with broad findings on these generic issues. The Tribunal heard evidence from over 300 witnesses over a period of nine months during 2005. Some 50 Central North Island iwi and hapū participated.

The Tribunal inquiry panel comprises Judge Caren Fox (Presiding Officer), Dr Ann Parsonson, Mr John Baird and Mrs Gloria Herbert.

This first volume of the report considers claims concerning the political relationship between Central North Island Māori and the Crown from the time of the Treaty up to 1920.

The Tribunal upheld the claimants' principal allegation that the root of all Treaty breaches in their rohe was the Crown's failure to give effect to the Treaty guarantees to Māori of tino rangatiratanga (autonomy) and of the same rights and powers of selfgovernment as were enjoyed by the settlers from the mid-19th century.

The Tribunal considered that giving effect to these guarantees could have been entirely practicable if existing models of community, regional and national autonomy had been adapted to suit the circumstances of Māori.

The Tribunal found that for hapū and iwi of the Central North Island, the Crown's refusal to recognise Māori autonomy resulted in a loss of authority and control over lands and natural resources, including waterways and geothermal resources.

Such loss of control had lasting effects on the development of Central North Island Māori in tourism, forestry, power generation and farming.

The Tribunal made no general recommendations in respect of possible Treaty settlements, preferring instead to leave claimants and Crown to choose their own negotiation pathway.

Further information:

Volume 1 of the report will be available in pre-publication format on the Tribunal's website after noon on Monday 25 June 2007.

The Tribunal will issue the remaining volumes of its stage one report in the near future in pre-publication format. The report will be published later in the year.

ENDS

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