Two iwi get Treaty relativity top-ups

Two iwi have received substantial payments from the Crown as part of their ongoing Treaty of Waitangi settlements.

Payments of $16.6 million to Waikato-Tainui and $18.7m to Nga¯i Tahu have been made to ensure the value of their individual settlements maintain their relative size compared with the total value of all treaty settlements.

Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little announced the payments on Monday which he said are ‘‘separate from payments made at the end of 2017 and relate to a dispute over a 2012 payment’’.

‘‘This process is about main- taining the agreed relativity between the settlements agreed with Waikato-Tainui and Nga¯i Tahu and the total value of all historical Treaty settlements. That was the undertaking made by the Crown in 1995 and 1997 when these settlements were reached, and we must honour it.’’

‘‘The Relativity Mechanisms, and Treaty settlements in general, are intricate. Each settlement has unique aspects to it, and the type and variety of redress has evolved over time. This has led to some genuine questions over what to include when calculating the total value of Treaty settlements. This uncertainty has led to differing views on the amounts payable to maintain relativity,’’ Little said.

‘‘It’s important to get these payments to Waikato-Tainui and Nga¯i Tahu right. The Crown is committed to honouring the contractual nature of the Relativity Mechanism clauses.

‘‘Treaty settlements for both iwi include a Relativity Mechanism to ensure the value of their individual settlements maintain their relative size compared with the total value of all Treaty settlements. Both iwi can make a request for payment every five years to ensure the real value of their settlements remain at 17 per cent (Waikato-Tainui) and 16.1 per cent (Nga¯i Tahu) of the total.

‘‘The Crown, Waikato-Tainui and Nga¯i Tahu have held different interpretations about what should be included when calculating the total value of Treaty settlements, and agreed to independent arbitration in 2013 to resolve these disputes. A variety of disputed items have already been considered by the independent arbitrator,’’ Little said.

This comes on the back of further top-ups revealed by Stuff earlier this year, which were paid on December 15.

Waikato-Tainui received $190m and the South Island’s Nga¯i Tahu $180m – more than they originally settled for in 1995 and 1998, respectively.

As iwi around the country continue to settle with the Crown both Nga¯i Tahu and Waikato-Tainui will receive additional payments.

Finn in Fleetwood Mac

Kiwi music legend Neil Finn is joining Fleetwood Mac. The former Split Enz and Crowded House frontman is one of two new additions to the 50-yearold band for a tour later this year, replacing the departing Lindsey Buckingham, founder Mick Fleetwood announced yesterday. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers lead guitarist Mike Campbell is the other.

Nats rebuff Tava

Green candidate turned National hopeful Vernon Tava has been knocked out of pre-selection for the Northcote by-election. Tava confirmed yesterday morning he had been seeking the National Party nomination for the June 9 by-election in the Auckland seat, sparked when former Health Minister Jonathan Coleman resigned. But the National Party has now shortlisted five candidates and Tava is not one of them. Tava said he was not upset with the result. ‘‘It’s early days for my involvement in the party,’’ he said. Tava stood in Northcote in 2011 for the Green Party, netting 1890 votes – about half of what the wider party won in the electorate.

Walking track to go

The controversial walking track up Te Mata Peak looks set to be removed about the same time as a new council-funded cycleway around the foot of the peak is put in. Craggy Range Winery has vowed to remove the walking track up the eastern side of the peak following opposition from local iwi and others and concerns about how it was granted resource consent by Hastings District Council without notification. The winery is presently looking into how it can remove the $300,000 track, built late last year, and has previously said it would remove it later this year. Meanwhile, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has secured land for a cycleway around the foot of the peak’s eastern face that would allow cyclists to avoid a narrow and dangerous stretch of Waimarama Rd section of road known as ‘‘the mad mile’’.

Rapist’s basher loses appeal

The man who bashed his stepdaughter’s rapist has failed in his bid to overturn his conviction for the attack. He had gone to trial in the Wellington District Court last year saying he had only done what any father would do but a jury found him guilty of injuring with intent to injure. The man has said he had no regrets about hitting Jason Haward who would later be convicted of raping the teenage girl at Paraparaumu beach on April 21, 2016. Haward was jailed for seven years and six months. The man’s name is suppressed to protect the identity of his stepdaughter. Haward spent time in hospital after the assault. The man was given 240 hours community work. In a judgment released from the Court of Appeal yesterday the court dismissed his appeal. The court said the Crown case was strong and consistent and no miscarriage of justice had occurred.