KEY POINTS:
Treaty Negotiations minister Michael Cullen was forced to scale a fence and sprint across a field to get to a marae for a signing ceremony after his van was blocked by protesters.
Dr Cullen was at Kareponia marae in the Far North to sign a Treaty agreement in
principle with Ngati Kahu yesterday.
He was met by about a dozen protesters who banged on the roof of the van and tried to open its doors.
A witness said the protesters blocked the gate to the marae and it reversed and drove down the driveway of a neighbouring property.
As a stoush between one of the main protesters, another iwi member and a third man continued, Dr Cullen climbed a hip-high fence next to the marae and sprinted toward it with a Diplomatic Protection Squad guard and a Maori warden.
He then found he was on the wrong side for the powhiri and had to cross to stand next to Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia, who had entered through the main gate.
A spokesman said Dr Cullen had expected trouble after he was jostled and heckled by protesters last December at a signing ceremony with Ngati Kahu ki Whangaroa. Dr Cullen was not in danger at any point, he said.
"[During the signing] he treated the whole thing by comparing it to a normal day in Parliament."
He said Dr Cullen had agreed to the alternative plan to get to the marae from a neighbouring property earlier in the week, including having to scale the fence.
"Even that level of detail was in the plan," the spokesman said.
Last December Dr Cullen was shoved by protesters from Ngati Aukiwa hapu when he travelled by helicopter to the isolated Taemaro Bay, forcing the signing to be moved to Kerikeri instead.
Dr Cullen's spokesman said the same people were involved in yesterday's protest.
Dr Margaret Mutu, chairwoman of Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngati Kahu, told Radio New Zealand the protesters had a valid grievance, but did not represent the views of the iwi.
A spokesman for Dr Cullen said although the protesters could be heard outside, a group of schoolchildren had begun to sing loudly to drown them out.
In a statement about the signing, Dr Cullen said there was a "difficult history" between the iwi and the Crown - including the large-scale loss of Ngati Kahu land around the Kaitaia, Taipa and Mangonui area.
The agreement in principle includes financial and commercial redress of $14 million and includes the opportunity to re-purchase Rangiputa Station on the Karikari Peninsula, the transfer of 17 sites of high significance to the iwi, and a $7.5 million package of social and cultural assistance. The Crown and iwi will now work toward the final Deed of Settlement, requiring the ratification of iwi members.
