Lakes will be handed over to Te Arawa

By RENEE KIRIONA

The Government is to hand over the ownership of 14 lakes in Rotorua to the Te Arawa people.

The package includes the vesting of the lakebed titles in the tribe, a formal apology and a "cultural and financial redress" package of about $10 million.

But critics see it as a "sweetener" by the Government to Maori opposed to its plans to deal with customary rights over the foreshore and seabed.

The Rotorua-based tribe yesterday accepted, in principle, several offers by the Government, to settle their Treaty of Waitangi claim over the lakes.

The decision to accept was made by the Te Arawa Maori Trust Board and its negotiators after receiving a letter from Minister of Treaty Negotiations Margaret Wilson and the Office of Treaty Settlements on Thursday.

The claim stems from a Government decision in 1922 to pay an annuity to Te Arawa as compensation for the Crown taking customary rights over the 14 lakes. The tribe argued that annuity was never indexed to inflation, creating a number of breaches of the treaty.

The vesting of the lakebed titles meant that Te Arawa would be the owners of the lakebeds and have certain 'ownership rights' and a say over matters relating to the lakes, the negotiators said.

Part of accepting the offer meant that Te Arawa had to guarantee the public the right to use and access the lakes and that the interests of commercial users and structures would be protected.

"It was important in the context of the negotiations for both Te Arawa and the Crown to ensure that Te Arawa's ownership rights were carefully balanced with public rights for use and access," they said.

While tribal members were expected to welcome the decision, it has angered the Rotorua Lakes Protection Group, which for the past few years has campaigned against the tribe having ownership.

Its chairman, Mike McVicker, said: "I think they [the Government] have pushed this settlement through as a sweetener for Maori.

"We will accept the Government's decision but if Te Arawa don't keep the status quo in terms of public access they can expect to see a lot of unhappy people."

It is understood that the Mayor of Rotorua, Graham Hall, and seven other district councillors supported the transfer of the titles to Te Arawa.

But Rotorua district councillor Cliff Lee said he would not accept the decision and would continue his campaign against it.

"I don't believe Te Arawa will give the public free access and I believe it's only a matter of time before they start charging us."

Before signing-off the offer the trust board needs to get the decision ratified by the tribe, which is expected late next year. A response by Ms Wilson is expected on Monday.

In 1992, the National Government negotiated the transfer of the bed of Lake Taupo to the Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board to be held "in trust for the common use and benefit of all the peoples of New Zealand".

What's on offer

* A formal Crown apology to Te Arawa.

* A historical account of events relating to the lakes since 1840.

* Acknowledgements by the Crown of historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.

* A cultural redress package to better reflect Te Arawa's relationship with the lakes including the vesting of title to the lakebeds in Te Arawa, an increase of fishing licences to the tribe from 40 to 200 and the removal of the nominal fee, possible correction of placenames, protection of waahi tapu sites.

* Financial redress of $2.7 million as compensation for historical Treaty of Waitangi claims.

* A $7.3 million buy-out of the annuity paid to Te Arawa Maori Trust Board.