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 maintaining 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.