Clarification on claim to Waitangi Tribunal

6 October 2005

Craig Coxhead
Chair
Te Wananga o Aotearoa

The Aotearoa Institute has sought an urgent hearing by the Waitangi Tribunal to consider one element of the 2001 settlement between the Crown and TWOA arising from a claim to the Tribunal taken by three Wananga in protest at their lack of eligibility for capital assistance from the Crown. The settlement was concluded after a Tribunal report that found the claim was valid.

The Institute, a charitable trust, is the former private training establishment from which Te Wananga o Aotearoa developed.

The application for an urgent hearing relates to the final installment of the settlement in which the Crown agreed to provide a suspensory loan of $20m to TWOA. The Crown has yet to fulfill this commitment.

TWOA is not a party to the application which seeks this urgent hearing.

TWOA remains in negotiation with the Crown on this issue and believes:

- The Crown should make the suspensory loan available forthwith

- A commitment by TWOA in the 2001 settlement that eligibility for the loan be dependent on no less than 80% of the students at TWOA being Maori is renegotiated

ENDS