Mandate voting extended

Te Mana o Ngati Rangitihi [Te Mana] is encouraging all iwi descendants to make their voice heard and ensure they vote in the iwi mandating process, which has been extended another month.

The voting period will now close on May 30, 2014.


File photo.

The period for validation has also been extended to June 12, 2014, to provide the Validating Committee with sufficient time to consider any new registrations.

Chairman Graham Pryor says it's important the iwi vote.

'We need a clear mandate to get the negotiations with the Crown moving. This process has already taken a long time just to get to here and we believe it is the right time to move forward.

'This is a decision that will help to continue the development of our people.”

Graham says the extension of the voting and validation periods is the result of feedback from a recent Kahui Kaumatua hui, where the committee requested more time to review and validate new registrations and the register to vote applications.

Te Mana held six hui kanohi-ki-te-kanohi with the iwi over the past week in Rotorua, Hamilton, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Matata.

The aim of the hui was to seek to gain a mandate from the iwi to enter direct negotiations with the Crown for the comprehensive settlement of all Ngati Rangitihi historical Treaty of Waitangi claims.

Graham says the hui were well attended and voting has been steady since opening two weeks ago.

'We hope that an outcome will be known in June, which will at least allow us the opportunity to meet with the Minister of Treaty Negotiations before the General Election and we believe that is important.”

Voting on the mandate is open to anyone 18-years-old or older who are either registered with Te Mana or have completed the Register to Vote form.

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