KEY POINTS:
A stoush between the Hauraki Maori Trust Board and the Government over its handling of Treaty settlements is being played out at an urgent Waitangi Tribunal hearing.
Hauraki are among six iwi groups who believe they were unfairly dealt with by the Crown in its handling of the
Ngati Whatua o Orakei claim covering greater Auckland.
The tribunal will hear the groups' claims at a hearing which runs until Thursday.
The claim centres on whether the Crown acted fairly in its dealings with iwi who have overlapping claims in the Auckland region.
Central to the claim is whether Ngati Whatua should get $80 million of naval housing land in Devonport and first right of refusal on a further $90 million of North Shore naval land.
The iwi groups also question whether Ngati Whatua should get exclusive first right of refusal to all Crown properties that come up for sale on the Auckland isthmus.
The tribes are also challenging Ngati Whatua's right to guardianship of all the mountains on the isthmus.
Hauraki Maori Trust Board claim negotiator John McEnteer said the hearing would highlight the "unfair and narrow-minded" approach shown by the Office of Treaty Settlements in the settlement process.
He said the office had run rough-shod over valid iwi grievances in a rush to settle the Auckland claim.
It is the second major battle involving Hauraki and the office's settlement process in a month. The tribe is continuing to occupy Whenuakite station, a Landcorp block in the Coromandel recently put up for tender.
The tribe wanted the land returned as part of its outstanding Treaty claim.
The office refused but the Government stepped in by suspending the tender process and calling for an urgent review on the sale of all state-owned land.
The Timetable
June 2006: Crown signs agreement in principle with Ngati Whatua o Orakei subject to a consultation process with other iwi to resolve overlapping land claims.
September 2006: Five Auckland iwi claim that Crown processes dealing with their concerns are just going through the motions.
November 2006: Tribunal judicial conference to consider whether there should be a general inquiry into the Crown's Treaty settlement policy and practices.
March 2007: Four-day hearing by Ngati Te Ata, Ngai Tai ki Tamaki, Te Kawerau a Maki, the Marutuahu Confederation, Te Taou and the Hauraki Maori Trust Board to contest the proposed Ngati Whatua o Orakei settlement.
