Heretaunga Tamatea proposed DoS undermines claim to Gwavas and Kaweka Forests by Ngāti Hinemanu and Ngāti Paki

An application for urgency has been filed in the Waitangi Tribunal today on behalf of the Ngāti Hinemanu me Ngāti Paki Heritage Trust. The urgency application arises because the claimants allege that the Crown has wrongfully permitted their claims to be swept up under the umbrella of Heretaunga-Tamatea without their consent and in contravention of earlier undertakings by the Crown.

“We have held a series of meetings with He Toa Takitini since 2008 in regards to ensuring the withdrawal of our Wai 1835 claim from the He Toa Takitini Deed of Mandate and claimant definition. The Crown we are advised have insisted that it be included in the proposed Deed of Settlement.” Says Jordan Haines-Winiata, Chairperson of Ngāti Hinemanu me Ngāti Paki Heritage Trust.

Both Ngāti Hinemanu ki Mōkai Pātea and Ngāti Paki have overlapping claims to those historical claims of Heretaunga-Tamatea which converge around key commercial redress being offered as part of the settlement of the Kaweka and Gwavas Crown Forest Licensed lands.

“He Toa Takitini do not have our mandate. So as far as we are concerned there should be little difficulty in removing our claim from their Deed and the Crown retaining sufficient redress as the Crown Forest Assets Acts requires to meet our future claims”.

“We do not want to stop Heretaunga-Tamatea’s settlement but the Crown is in breach of Te Tiriti on many levels. There is no alternative remedy for us but to seek urgency” says Mr Haines-Winiata

The Deed of Settlement is due to be signed with the Crown by He Toa Takitini later this week.

ENDS

© Scoop Media