Three Treaty bills progressed

The House of Representatives sat through extended hours this morning to unanimously pass three bills for the settlement of historical Treaty claims through their first readings.

The Maungaharuru-Tangitu Hapū Claims Settlement Bill will give effect to the settlement of the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Maungaharuru-Tangitu Hapū.

The Ngā Punawai o Te Tokotoru Claims Settlement Bill will give effect to settlements reached with Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Rangiteaorere, and Tapuika.

The Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Collective Settlement Bill will give effect to the collective redress of 13 claimant groups in relation to specific maunga (volcanic cones), motu (islands) and lands within the Tāmaki Makaurau region.

The bills have been now been referred to the Māori Affairs select committee, which will hear submissions and consider the bills before returning them to the House for their second readings.

“Our accelerated progress resolving historical Treaty of Waitangi claims means that we have more Treaty legislation before the house each year,” Mr Finlayson said. “Last year we introduced innovations such as extended sitting hours and cognate bills to ensure iwi who settle are not held up by the House.”

“The broad cross party support for these Treaty bills brings the people of Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Rangiteaorere, Tapuika, Maungaharuru-Tangitu Hapū and Tāmaki Makaurau closer to enjoying the benefits of settlement. It demonstrates the importance of resolving all historical Treaty claims in a fair, just and timely way.

Copies of the deeds of settlement are available on the Office of Treaty Settlements’ website www.ots.govt.nz 

Notes on bills:

Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Collective Settlement Bill

This bill gives effect to the to the deed between Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (Tāmaki Collective) and the Crown for collective redress in relation to specific maunga (volcanic cones), motu (islands) and lands within Tāmaki Makaurau over which the iwi/hapū have shared interests.

Iwi/hapū in the Tāmaki Collective are Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāti Tamaoho, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Te Ata, Ngāti Whanaunga, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Ngāti Whatua Ōrākei, Te Ākitai Waiohua, Te Kawerau ā Maki, Te Patukirikiri and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua. The collective redress forms part of each individual iwi/hapū Treaty settlement.

Ngā Punawai o Te Tokotoru Settlement Bill

The Ngā Punawai o Te Tokotoru Settlement Bill will settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Rangiteaorere and Tapuika. At third reading, the omnibus bill will be separated into individual settlement legislation for each iwi.

The Ngāti Rangiwewehi claims settlement component bill

The bill will settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngāti Rangiwewehi. It includes financial and commercial redress of $6,000,000 and the return of culturally significant sites including 37 hectares at Hamurana Springs, Te Riu o Ngata and 6 hectares of the Taumata Scenic Reserve. This will enable Ngāti Rangiwewehi to share their history and culture and to educate and train people about conservation and harvesting.

The Ngāti Rangiteaorere claims settlement component bill

This bill will settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngāti Rangiteaorere. It includes $750,000 financial redress as well as statutory acknowledgements and deeds of recognition over Waiohewa stream marginal strip, the Lake Rotorua Marginal strip and Tikiteri geothermal field, and the return of 321 hectares of Whakapougnakau, re-uniting Ngāti Rangiteaorere with their maunga.

The Tapuika claims settlement component bill

This bill will settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Tapuika. It includes financial redress of $6,000,000 and the return of twelve sites of special significance to Tapuika across their rohe totalling approximately 209 hectares; and a framework for governance of the Kaituna River, Te Awanui o Tapuika, that will acknowledge in a meaningful and practical way Tapuika’s relationship with the river and help protect the ecological and cultural values of the Kaituna.

Maungaharuru-Tangitu Hapū Claims Settlement Bill

This bill will settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Maungaharuru-Tangitu Hapū. Maungaharuru-Tangitū Hapū were left virtually landless after Crown initiated military conflict, raupatu and other actions. The settlement includes financial and commercial redress amount of $23 million, the return of culturally significant properties including part of Opouahi Station and Opouahi Scenic Reserve and the Te Pohue Domain Recreational Reserve. Public access will not change.