Far North iwi reaches settlement milestone

Ngäti Kahu, one of the five iwi in the Far North, today signed Terms of Negotiation with the Crown, Treaty Negotiations Minister Margaret Wilson said.

“The Terms of Negotiation set out the ground rules for negotiations and signal the beginning of the formal talks that will lead to the settlement of Ngäti Kahu’s historical Treaty of Waitangi claims.”

Margaret Wilson extended her congratulations to the mandated body of Te Rünanga-ä-Iwi o Ngäti Kahu and its negotiators on achieving the important milestone saying it further demonstrated their hard work and determination for progressing Ngäti Kahu claims toward settlement.

Ngäti Kahu is located around Kaitaia, Taipa and Mangonui, and has 7,000 members.

“The next step in the negotiations process will be the signing of an Agreement in Principle. Work has already started on this, and involves both parties focusing on the fine detail of the Ngäti Kahu claims in order to reach an agreement on the components of a settlement package,” Margaret Wilson said.

Ngäti Kahu was represented at today’s signing by Rünanga Chairperson Professor Margaret Mutu, and fellow negotiators Reverend Lloyd Popata, Tipene Herewini and Te Kani Williams. The Crown was represented by Margaret Wilson and Parliamentary Treaty Negotiations Under-Secretary Mita Ririnui. Margaret Wilson said today’s signing is a further illustration of the momentum being achieved in negotiating Treaty settlements.

Recent progress has included the signing of the first comprehensive settlement in the Bay of Plenty with Ngäti Awa, terms of negotiation signed with Whanganui River claimants and with Ngati Whatua o Orakei, and the passage of the first Taranaki settlement (the Ngati Ruanui Claims Settlement Bill) into law earlier this month.

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