Sovereignty flag to appear over One Tree Hill

Ngapuhi kaumatua Kingi Taurua will hold the sovereignty flag. Photo / Karen Repie

An agreement has been hammered out for the Maori sovereignty flag to appear on top of One Tree Hill - as long as it is hand-held.

The Auckland City Council and Ngati Whatua yesterday reached an agreement with Ngapuhi kaumatua, Kingi Taurua, allowing him to fly the Tino Rangatiratanga flag from One Tree Hill.

The decision follows an earlier rebuke the group Te Ata Tino Toa received from Transit for wanting to fly the Maori flag from the Auckland Harbour Bridge and Mr Taurua saying the council had no business in determining where the flag could be flown.

Auckland Deputy Mayor Bruce Hucker confirmed that a meeting with Mr Taurua had been held.

"All he intends to do is hold the flag on One Tree Hill tomorrow morning and he is not intending to raise a structure or to cause damage to the mountain in any way," said Dr Hucker.

"I have talked further with Kingi Taurua today but Auckland City Council's major concerns have really been about the protocols we have with Ngati Whatua because of the draft treaty settlement"

"Our concerns were really about process and being able to talk with Ngati Whatua and to meet jointly and come to a decision -unfortunately key Ngati Whatua figures were out of Auckland".

There is no flag pole on top of One Tree Hill so the flag will have to be waved.

Ngati Whatua holds mana whenua, or customary authority, over One Tree Hill, which is administered by Auckland City Council.

Ngapuhi kaumatua and radio broadcaster Kingi Taurua says he will be on top of the hill on Waitangi Day to wave the flag.

"This is only the beginning, next year it will get bigger and bigger until we get a fair go."

"I think it's a bicultural perspective and they certainly realised that Transit had made a bad decision in terms of their keeping us off the harbour bridge. I think they are trying to accommodate us in any way possible to bring peace and tranquility to our nation"