Government Abandons Ngāpuhi – Te Kotahitanga o Nga Hapu Ngapuhi

The Government has walked away from its responsibility and obligation to Māori by removing the Crown from the Ngāpuhi Treaty Settlement process.

At a meeting with Prime Minister Bill English last night, Te Kotahitanga o Ngā Hapū Ngāpuhi (Te Kotahitanga) and Tūhoronuku were advised that the government will withdraw from the Ngāpuhi Treaty settlement process. Minister for Treaty Settlements Chris Finlayson and the Office of Treaty Settlements (OTS) will also be removed.

Te Kotahitanga is deeply disappointed the Prime Minister has given up on Ngāpuhi and says Bill English is naive to think the government can simply turn its back on the country’s largest iwi.
The Prime Minister has trampled on the mana of his minister the Hon. Chris Finlayson and his agency OTS by removing them from the Ngāpuhi settlement.

Te Kotahitanga is grateful for the efforts and good will of Minister Finlayson along with his team from OTS.

Working together in good faith through the transition process the Maranga Mai report has identified the best way forward for Ngāpuhi. We are closer to a unified pathway forward than at any stage so why would the Prime Minister pull the pin when we are so close?

Failure by Tūhoronuku to agree to changes to its Deed of Mandate as required in Maranga Mai resulted in a warning from Minister Finlayson that its mandate would be removed.

But now Bill English rides rough shod over his minister and wants Ngāpuhi to go it alone.
Te Kotahitanga co-chair Pita Tipene says Ngāpuhi will not agree to this and are focused on our vision and the Maranga Mai report co-authored with Tūhoronuku as the only strategy forward.

“The Crown is absolving its responsibility to the people of Ngāpuhi by pulling out of the process.

“Te Kotahitanga does not have confidence in the leadership of Sonny Tau and Hone Sadler to take Ngāpuhi forward in spite of Bill English implying they are his preferred leadership team,” says Mr Tipene.

Te Kotahitanga co-chair Rudy Taylor says the Prime Minister has added another layer of discontent and this is not for the good for our people. Is he doing this to quieten everyone down before the election or is there some sort of political game at play?

“Minister Finlayson and OTS have supported finding a way forward for the many hapū of the iwi and we appreciate the commitment they have shown in a partnership to create the Maranga Mai document.

“The people of Ngāpuhi deserve better than what appears to be an echo of colonial arrogance from the Crown that thinks it knows what’s best for Māori.

This is not the first occasion Bill English has walked away from Ngāpuhi,” says Mr Taylor.