After consultation with iwi members, Te Kotahi a Tuhoe have accepted the Crown's offer to settle the historical claims of Ngai Tuhoe, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Christopher Finlayson and Ngāi Tuhoe Chief negotiator Tamati Kruger announced.

'The Crown and Ngai Tuhoe will now work together to develop a Deed of Settlement by the end of 2012,” says Christopher.

'Once completed, the Deed will be initialled by the negotiators. If the deed is then ratified by iwi members, the settlement will be signed and given effect through legislation.”

'This is an historic day confirming the ability of the Crown and Tuhoe to work together into the future, according to the Relationship Agreement signed by us in 2011,” says Tamati.

Christopher says he is delighted to reach the goal of a Crown offer that can be developed into a Deed of Settlement.

'Ngāi Tuhoe's history shows clearly why it is so important to settle genuine historical Treaty grievances.

'The conditions in Te Urewera, which contains some of our most deprived and isolated communities, show the very real and continued effects of the Crown's Treaty breaches on the daily lives of Ngāi Tuhoe people in the present.'

'Huge areas of the iwi's land were wrongly confiscated, and more purchased unjustly. Military campaigns against Tuhoe prisoners and civilians were described even at the time as ‘extermination', and the Crown employed a scorched earth policy in Tuhoe settlements in the Te Urewera.”

'All elements of the proposed settlement are important but the redress relating to Te Urewera is vital to both parties.

'For Ngai Tuhoe recognition as tangata whenua in Te Urewera is essential. For both the Crown and Ngāi Tuhoe, the maintenance of the values of a national park is equally important. It became clear to both parties that ownership neither by the Crown nor Ngāi Tuhoe was essential to reach these goals.”

During negotiations, Tuhoe also conducted its own extensive consulting with stakeholders in Te Urewera, such as conservation, hunting and recreation groups.

'We discovered that all groups share a real common purpose in protecting Te Urewera's unique identity,” says Tamati.

Te Urewera will have its own legislation and exist as a separate legal identity. It will be governed by Crown and Ngai Tuhoe nominees acting on its behalf.

Ngāi Tuhoe will have an increasing role in management over time, with the Department of Conservation also retaining its role.

The Department of Conservation will work with Ngai Tuhoe to enhance Te Urewera as a place of outstanding natural, recreational and cultural value.

Both parties are keen to seek higher international recognition for Te Urewera such as a UNESCO biosphere reserve to promote the areas' unique values.

The legislation will include key provisions from the National Parks Act such as the protection of natural and historic heritage, public input into management and public access into the future.

'This new structure will allow the historical, cultural and spiritual connection between Te Urewera and Ngai Tuhoe to be fully recognised for the first time while the biodiversity of the area is protected and enhanced and public access is guaranteed for all New Zealanders,” says Christopher.

'The status of Te Urewera is unique and we have together developed an innovative, New Zealand made settlement proposal,” says Tamati.

The offer includes redress valued at approximately $170million, inclusive of Tuhoe's share in the Central North Island forestry on-account settlement in 2008.

The offer also includes the implementation of the social Services Management Plan announced last month, under which government agencies will work with Tuhoe to ensure better delivery of social services such as housing, education and health to its communities.

The Crown and Ngāi Tūhoe will discuss the offer with neighbouring iwi, including Ngai Manawa and Ngati Whare who have existing Treaty settlement redress over parts of Te Urewera, and ensure their interests in Te Urewera will also be provided for.
This includes redress provided to Ngati Manawa over their ancestral mountain, Tawhiuau.

Source: Office of Christopher Finlayson.