Big issues tackled at Waitangi

WELCOME GUESTS: Far North Mayor John Carter inspecting a Naval Charter parade in Paihia on Friday. Photo Liz Inch

A DAY FOR SETTLEMENTS, SOVEREIGNTY AND STATOIL

Friday's commemoration of the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi produced little of the aggression of past years, but provided a platform for the airing of views on some meaty issues, including treaty settlements, sovereignty and Statoil.

Prime Minister John Key was expecting a rough reception at Tii Marae, where in the past mud has been thrown, leaders have been jostled and tears have been shed, on Thursday, but the only event of note in the course of a day of lively discussion and peaceful protest was his lack of punctuality, although a heavy presence of police and iwi liaison officers, and a new marae committee determined to stage a peaceful welcome, significantly reduced the likelihood of disruption.

Mr Key was escorted on to the marae by Ngapuhi matriarch Titewhai Harawira as warriors issued a series of challenges. A few protesters held placards and shouted but were largely drowned out by the public address system and the chants of kaihoe (waka paddlers).

A 200-strong hikoi protesting plans by Norwegian firm Statoil to explore for oil off Northland's west coast arrived shortly after Mr Key's welcome, waving flags, singing waiata and chanting 'Statoil go home.' Participants were stopped before the marae gates by two rows of police officers blocking the road.

Mr Key used his speech to once again urge Ngapuhi to resolve their differences and progress their treaty settlement. The iwi is sharply divided between those who want a fast-tracked settlement reached by direct talks between a mandated body and the government, and hapu groups that want to go through the full Waitangi Tribunal process.

The government, keen to settle all historical claims by 2017, prefers the direct settlement option.

Mr Key said he could not force Ngapuhi's factions to see eye to eye, and it was not for him to try to navigate the tribe's politics, but the government was a willing partner, ready to engage and settle.

"The people of the North and the people of Ngapuhi need help, but we can't do that talking to ourselves ... we can't force people to settle and we won't," he said.

A settlement with Ngapuhi was likely to total "a couple of hundred million dollars", which could make a huge difference in a region with some of the country's worst housing and highest unemployment.

Mr Key also made a pitch for National's plans to sell off state housing and encouraged iwi, including Ngapuhi, to consider becoming social housing providers, saying they could probably do a better job than the government.

Other topics that came up were how long past police ministers had known of the allegations against former Northland MP Mike Sabin, and the Waitangi Tribunal's finding late last year that Ngapuhi chiefs did not cede sovereignty when they signed the Treaty.

Mr Key was accused at the time of dismissing the long-awaited report, but said yesterday it was more a case of "respectfully rejecting" the Tribunal's finding.

Later in the day Mr Key attended an Iwi Chairs' Forum meeting in Kerikeri, where the major topic was Maori water rights. Spokesman Mark Solomon later announced that the forum and the government had agreed on a working plan to determine fresh water rights and allocations for iwi, adding that he hoped the contentious issue could be resolved by next Waitangi Day.

Mr Key, however, said the government had so far only agreed to work on a consultation document, and would not budge on its stance that no one owned water.