Ngati Hine rejects the evolved Ngapuhi Mandate Proposal. Chair of Te Maara a Hineamaru, Waihoroi Shortland says ““Ngati Hine finds it difficult to express Ngati Hine sovereignty when its right to negotiate with the Crown is vested in an entity not of our design”. It’s a sham and doesn’t go anywhere close to delivering hapu rangatiratanga.

Ngati Hine’s vision statement Ma Ngati Hine ano Ngati Hine e korero ma roto i te whanaungatanga me te kotahitanga – focuses on Self Determination and Self-Reliance, through Kinship and Common Welfare.

“We are disappointed that the proposers did not have the courage to support a truly hapu led multi settlement regime. After negotiating with the Crown, hapu are then forced to negotiate within themselves to redistribute the settlement quantum. This is a Pontius Pilate proposal which sees the Crown remove itself from the settlement process with our Hapu. It is ironic that the proposers are using the fishing quota to hook Hapu into accepting this proposal.”

“Ngati Hine has always looked for a reason to stay, and we have been unable to find it in this final iteration”.

“After very careful consideration, Ngati Hine in rejecting this proposal will mobilise our hapu and people to participate and vote no to the final proposal” says Mr Shortland.

Furthermore, Ngati Hine signals to the Crown we are exercising our withdrawal from the final settlement proposal regardless of the outcome of the vote. The current proposal does not serve our people and undermines the mana of our hapu.

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