Te Rarawa moves over land grab'

Te Rarawa has responded to last week's Waitangi Tribunal hearing of Ngati Kahu claims for the resumption of scores of properties, many privately owned, by filing a resumption application of its own with the tribunal.

Te Runanga o Te Rarawa chairman Haami Piripi stated in an affidavit signed last week that the evidence presented by Ngati Kahu in relation to manawhenua appeared to him to be a "wholesale attempt at a land grab."

"We do not consider that we can sufficiently defend ourselves against this attack without taking our own application for resumption," he said. Te Rarawa did not oppose Ngati Kahu's application for resumption per se, but did oppose its incursion into Te Rarawa's rohe.

The resumable lands specified in the application were commercial offices in Kaitaia (offered to Te Rarawa and Ngai Takoto), Housing NZ property offered to Te Aupouri, Te Rarawa, Ngai Takoto and Ngati Kahu, part of the Sweetwater Station, the former Met Service building in Kaitaia and part of Takahue Forest (all offered to Te Rarawa).

Mr Piripi said continuing to participate in Ngati Kahu's application merely as an interested party would not provide Te Rarawa with the certainty and opportunities it needed to present a "hearty" case.

"We need a level playing field where all Te Hiku iwi can participate fairly," he said.

Key evidence submitted by Te Rarawa had already been rejected by the tribunal, and iwi representatives had been required to sit in a tent outside last week's hearing at Kareponia, so had been unable to properly engage in the korero and proceedings.

"The unbalanced format used by Ngati Kahu organisers has not worked for Te Rarawa over the last four days," Mr Piripi added.

"The Te Rarawa negotiation team also has the responsibility to preserve the essence of the currently agreed and ratified Te Rarawa deed of settlement, and the filing of this application will achieve that."

He did not expect the new proceedings to necessarily delay Te Rarawa's settlement, saying that if anything the application would provide further surety for and enhancement of the agreed redress.