Wake up Northland, say leaders

Tumu te Heuheu (left) and Michael Cullen at the Treelords settlement. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Northland Maori leaders say the Central North Island Treaty of Waitangi settlement signed last week is a "wake up call" to other iwi.

Hundreds of Maori from the Central North Island gathered in Parliament on June 25 to witness the signing of the $400 million-plus "Treelords" treaty settlement.

The largest agreement reached in the Treaty of Waitangi settlements process, the deal was signed by the Crown and seven Central North Island (CNI) iwi - Ngati Tuhoe, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Whare, Ngati Manawa, Raukawa and the affiliate Te Arawa iwi and hapu.

Three prominent Northland leaders, Raniera (Sonny) Tau, Erima Henare and Naida Glavish, said they would seek support from their iwi organisations to follow the process used by the central North Island iwi in having the commercial aspects of their collective grievances recognised and agreed with the Crown.

They said the Treaty settlements process was a tiring exercise and their iwi, Ngapuhi, Ngati Hine and Ngati Whatua, should take advantage of the opportunity to advance the commercial aspects of their collective claims.

"We have all waited long enough and it's time to display clear leadership so that we can start building a future for our children and mokopuna," the trio said in a statement.

"We have noted the messages that have come out of the CNI pan-tribal settlement which have been modelled on taking a co-operative internal approach ...

"If a seven CNI iwi alliance can come together along with a wide range of peripheral claimant groups then surely Ngapuhi, Ngati Hine and Ngati Whatua, who all have close whakapapa links, can come together to thrash out a commercial deal with the Crown."

The CNI process had illustrated what could be achieved with leadership, willingness and compromise.

"We believe our groups have those attributes and we are more than willing to begin discussions with the Crown on that basis."

The group said hapu historical cultural claims must be allowed to be settled by hapu and whanau at their own pace.

"We must not allow progress to become hijacked by individuals with clouded agendas because time is of the essence."

Two years ago, Mr Tau, Ngapuhi's chairman, attracted Labour MPs' fire when he said the Waitangi Tribunal was not impartial because it was Crown funded.

- NZPA