Final voting is set to take place which will allow iwi to negotiate directly with the Crown over the return of Rotorua tourist attraction Te Puia.
The Whakarewarewa Joint Trust is hosting a hui for Ngati Whakaue hapu, Ngati Hurungaterangi, Ngati Taeotu and Ngati Te Kahu to confirm their rolein seeking to secure the return of the Te Puia businesses from the Crown into a new entity. The meeting is at Te Papaiouru Marae, Ohinemutu at 9am tomorrow.
Similar meetings have been held in the last month involving Tuhourangi, Ngati Wahiao and Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust with 95 per cent of voters wanting to bring the iconic tourist attraction back into iwi hands, Whakarewarewa Joint Trust chairman Malcolm Short said. "It's created by iwi and is represented by iwi so it's about time we got it back," Mr Short said. "Negotiations will begin at the discretion of the Crown but we do want to get it under way and secured before the elections so that if the change of Government happens we have got a foot in the door already." Mr Short said Te Puia was already run by a "fantastic board of management" and they had no intention of interfering with that. "We're hoping it to continue being a major player in tourism like it is now, so why change it?"
Te Puia chief executive Tim Cossar declined to comment. Te Arawa Federation of Maori Authorities deputy chairman Te Taru White will preside over the meeting as an independent chairman. A question-and-answer session will be held before voting will take place. Te Puia is on the Southern Arikikapakapa and Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserves and leases the land from the Whakarewarewa Joint Trust. The trust, comprising representatives from Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Wahiao, Tuhourangi and Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust, has held the 70ha since it was returned by the Crown in 2008 until agreement over ownership could be reached.
