The Māori Affairs Committee is calling for public submissions on the Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu Claims Settlement Bill.

This bill is about settling historical Treaty of Waitangi claims between Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu and the Crown. It gives legal effect to the settlement that was agreed in a deed signed on 26 September 2025. The settlement acknowledges that the Crown breached the Treaty by confiscating land, applying unfair land laws, and acquiring land in ways that left Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu almost landless. It also recognises the harm caused to their cultural heritage, including damage to Te Aroha maunga, and the impact on their ability to pass on mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge). The Crown formally apologises for these actions.

The settlement provides redress to Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu. This includes the return of 18 culturally significant sites, financial and commercial redress valued at $5.5 million, and other cultural and relationship-based measures. The bill also makes the settlement final. It sets out how the land transfers will work and how cultural sites will be managed, and confirms that the Ngāti Tumutumu Trust will oversee the settlement assets.

The Māori Affairs Committee welcomes submissions in te reo Māori. However, please be aware that the committee usually seeks a translation of these submissions, which will be published alongside the original submission.

The Māori Affairs Committee will consider travelling to Ngāti Rāhiri Tumutumu’s rohe to hear submissions on this bill. You may wish to bear this in mind when indicating whether you would like to make an oral submission on this bill.

Make a submission on the bill by 11.59pm on 03 December 2025.

For more details about the bill:

• Read the full content of the bill

• Get more details about the bill

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