Protesters support iwi’s court case
Hundreds of people have protested in Wellington in support of an Auckland iwi’s Supreme Court battle.
Tauranga Moana iwi has led a hı¯koi on Parliament to protest a lack of tikanga Ma¯ori (Ma¯ori protocol) in what the iwi says are rushed treaty settlements.
Yesterday morning’s march was timed with the Supreme Court hearing of a case brought by Auckland iwi Nga¯ti Wha¯tua, which is challenging a Crown decision to shift the iwi boundary for iwi group Pare Hauraki Collective.
The protesters formed a ring on Parliament grounds, within which Ministers Andrew Little, Nanaia Mahuta, Peeni Henare, Willie Jackson and Louisa Wall were confronted by kauma¯tua.
Both Nga¯ti Wha¯tua and Tauranga Moana say the Hauraki iwi are inappropriately claiming mana whenua status, and want the matter resolved through a tikanga process.
A settlement between Pare Hauraki and Tauranga Moana is due to be signed on Friday.
Nga¯i Te Rangi iwi representative Josh Te Kani, a member of one of three iwi which make up Tauranga Moana, said they wanted to resolve the matter ‘‘’kanohi ki te kanohi’’ (face to face) with Hauraki iwi.
‘‘The court decision process doesn’t prioritise tikanga Ma¯ori.’’
Te Kani said it was not possible for two iwi to overlap in control of a rohe, or area.
Tauranga Moana was con- cerned about how Hauraki iwi might be included in local governance structures, including the Tauranga Harbour.
Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little said he would ensure the conditions were right for a tikanga approach to be taken.
Ma¯ori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta said it was important not to set a bad precedent in settlement.
‘‘Minister [Andrew Little] himself says he wants to go through a tikanga process . . . the ball’s in the Government’s court.’’
Hauraki Collective chairman Paul Majurey said the iwi were committed to addressing the settlement through a tikanga process, in a letter to the Ma¯ori Affairs Select Committee on May 10. ‘‘We have agreed that the Treaty settlement arrangements for the governance and oversight of the harbour and catchments . . . will not be included in our collective settlement at this time.’’
Protesters travelled to Wellington in eight buses from Tauranga, gathering supporters from Nga¯ti Raukawa¯inO taki along the way. Nga¯ti Wha¯tua and Nga¯puhi were also represented in the crowd. Many moved to the Supreme Court after the protest. O¯ Nga¯ti Wha¯tua ra¯kei claims mana whenua over central Auckland property, and a Supreme Court hearing on the matter is set down for two days.
The Nga¯ti Wha¯tua ra¯kei Trust took the Attorney-General and Hauraki iwi to the High Court, claiming the previous Minister for Treaty Negotiations acted unlawfully by offering central Auckland properties to Hauraki iwi in the settlement process.