The passage settles three decades of negotiations between iwi and the Crown
The Whakatōhea Claims Settlement Bill has passed its third reading in Parliament, settling three decades of negotiations between iwi and the Crown.
Whakatōhea is an iwi in the Bay of Plenty; its six hapū comprise Ngāi Tamahaua, Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Ngahere, Ngāti Patumoana, Ngāti Ruatākenga and Te Ūpokorehe. Whakatōhea descendants representing about 16,000 members attended Parliament as witnesses.
“While no settlement can fully compensate for the Crown’s past injustices, this settlement will support the aspirations and prosperity of Whakatōhea for many generations to come,” Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith said.
The bill includes the reservation of 5,000ha of marine space for aquaculture; a financial, cultural, and commercial redress amounting to $100m; the transfer of 33 culturally significant sites; bespoke natural resource and conservation arrangements; and relationship agreements with core Crown agencies, the minister confirmed.
Goldsmith explained that Te Whakatōhea's historical grievances against the Crown include “the unjust invasion, occupation, and raupatu of their tribal area, the use of scorched earth policies and the failure to act in good faith in its treatment and execution of their tipuna Mokomoko”.
“The historical grievances caused the break-down of their tribal structures, their language and tikanga, it also caused the stigmatisation of the Mokomoko whānau and descendants. This final step marks the beginning of a new era of the relationship with the Crown based on trust and cooperation”, he said.
