Call for leader to resign

The kukupa is protected both by law and by tikanga, according to a Far North District councillor. PICTURE / HERB CHRISTOPHERS

A lawyer and Far North District Councillor is calling on Sonny Tau to resign as Ngapuhi leader after he admitted possessing protected kukupa.

The call comes as Northland Conservation Board chairman Mita Harris - a relative of Mr Tau - has quit as the Ngati Toro hapu representative on the mandated Ngapuhi treaty settlement negotiation body, Tuhoronuku.

Mr Tau leads Tuhoronuku, and is Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi chairman.

He has admitted possessing the kukupa, saying it was a mistake that he deeply regretted, and that the laws protecting native birds had to be respected by all, himself included.

Mr Tau was questioned on Tuesday by Department of Conservation officials, after he was found to have concealed several dead kukupa inside his coat as he was boarding a flight from Invercargill.

Councillor Willow-Jean Prime said Mr Tau was in a position of leadership and had to lead by example.

Taking kukupa went against the law as well as a rahui imposed almost 20 years ago.

"It's not a good example. This is dishonest, and it's bad judgment."

Mrs Prime said some had argued that taking kukupa was allowed by tikanga (custom) but a meeting at Kaitoki Marae, in Motatau, had imposed a rahui on the birds across the Ngati Hine rohe (tribal area) in 1996 because their numbers were so low. That rahui was still in place.

She could not speak for Ngai Tahu, from whose area the birds are thought to have come, but even if Maori had a customary right to eat kukupa that had to be weighed up against kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and the responsibility to protect a threatened species.

Mrs Prime, who is of Te Kapotai and Ngati Hine descent, said the call for Mr Tau's resignation was not related to Ngati Hine's opposition to Ngapuhi's current Treaty settlement process.

However, the kukupa incident did call into question his leadership ability, she said.

Mr Tau has said he will not comment further while the incident is being investigated.

Meanwhile, Mr Harris, who is also a cousin of Mr Tau, said he found it untenable to remain on Tuhoronuku in light of its leader's actions.

He said Mr Tau's "mistake" made a mockery of years Mr Harris had spent educating Northland's young people about the protected native birds.

"To have this happen is an absolute slap in the face," he said. "Sonny Tau needs to face the people, Sonny Tau needs to face Ngapuhi and man up to what he's done."

Tuhoronuku deputy chair Sam Nepia said Mr Harris's resignation "was unfortunate".