Chance for new leadership seen
Sadler, Tau help Nga¯ puhi Treaty group no longer
Nga¯puhi’s Treaty settlement leadership has undergone a dramatic change with the fresh loss of leadership from the mandated negotiating group Tu¯ horonuku.
Nga¯ti Hine leader Pita Tipene says the exit of Hone Sadler and Sonny Tau is a chance for fresh Nga¯puhi leadership to come through.
The Northern Advocate understands Hone Sadler left the role as chairman of Tu¯ horonuku, the group mandated to negotiate Nga¯puhi’s Treaty claims, two weeks ago. He has been replaced by James Clyde but the reasons for the departure are unknown at this stage. It comes after Nga¯puhi leader Raniera (Sonny) Tau resigned as chairman of Te Ru¯ nangaa¯-iwi o¯ Nga¯puhi, just two months after he was re-elected to the board. The reason is also unknown.
The Advocate contacted Sadler for comment but he did not respond by edition time yesterday. Tau also has not responded to requests for comment.
Nga¯ti Hine leader Pita Tipene said he believed Nga¯puhi had been searching for fresh leadership for some time.
“The leadership of Nga¯puhi needs to be reviewed and reinvigorated because Nga¯puhi has been going nowhere over the last 10 years,” he said.
Tu¯ horonuku’s mandate to negotiate Nga¯puhi’s Treaty claims was recognised by the Crown in 2014 but the road to settlement has been winding since.
In December last year Nga¯puhi rejected an evolved mandate which was supposed to be a new way forward for the iwi, and in January this year Treaty Minister Andrew Little said while Tu¯ horonuku technically held the Crown-recognised mandate, the Government would not be commencing negotiations with the group any time soon.
Little said he had been informed of Sadler’s exit from the chairman role and his replacement: “I have already spoken to the new leadership.”
Tipene said new leaders needed to be able to “listen and hear”.
“The leadership that needs to come in needs to be transformational because largely . . . it has been transactional. That type of leadership needs to be respectful because up until now I think it has been disrespectful.”
Tipene said despite the exit of Sadler and Tau, he did not think it was possible for the Nga¯puhi settlement negotiations to move forward with Tu¯horonuku.
“Let’s just say when, not if, Tu¯horonuku’s mandate is stripped there will be a sigh of relief from amongst the people of Nga¯puhi.”
Rudy Taylor, chairman of Kia Anga Mua Nga¯ Hapu¯ o Nga¯puhi — formed by the 31 hapu¯ who voted for the evolved mandate — said: “What we’re interested in is to sit down with the 31 hapu¯ knowing that we want to go forward and how does that look, and what does that look like.”
Little said discussions on the Nga¯puhi settlement were ongoing.