Treaty negotiator stands by grandson
Taranaki’s biggest iwi took ownership of the land where the New Plymouth courthouse and police station stand to show how everyone had to be accountable to the law, a court heard.
And for Peter Moeahu, the man who spearheaded treaty negotiations for Te A¯ tiawa, this adage hit close to home, as he addressed the same court on behalf of appeared charge.
Moeahu said he was saddened his mokopuna Tainui Taniora Edwards had broken the law.
‘‘But he is my grandson and I am here with him,’’ he said.
Moeahu asked to address community magistrate Sherida Cooper before Edwards was sentenced in the New Plymouth District Court last Wednesday. The 22-year-old pleaded guilty
drink driving, after he to his grandson, who on a drink driving returned a breath alcohol level of
515 micrograms when he was stopped by police on November
17. The legal limit is 250mcg. During Moeahu’s address, he did not defend his grandson, who stood in the dock with his head bowed, but rather detailed the love and support he had from wha¯ nau. ‘‘He knows how disappointed I am,’’ Moeahu said. ‘‘But despite that he is loved by us all.’’
Moeahu said he expected his grandson to be accountable for his actions at all times.
‘‘When Te A¯ tiawa negotiated its treaty settlement, included in that settlement was this site and the police site,’’ he explained.
‘‘That was intentional to demonstrate to our people that this is what we regarded as our justice precinct where our people had to take responsibility for their actions and be accountable to the laws of the land.’’
In its 2014 Treaty of Waitangi settlement deal, Te A¯ tiawa – Taranaki’s biggest iwi and a multimillion-dollar entity – negotiated an $87 million cash payment along with cultural and commercial redress. As part of the commercial element of the agreement, it was given a sale and leaseback option regarding the land where the police station and courthouse are located. The ownership change was completed in July.
Cooper ordered Edwards pay a fine of $300 plus court costs and disqualified him from driving for 28 days. An interlock device was to be installed in his vehicle.