Nga¯ ti Hine goes to its people
Nga¯ti Hine has launched its Te Ara Ko¯puni o Nga¯ti Hine Roadshow to discuss with its people whether it should pursue its own Treaty settlement mandate, separate from Nga¯puhi.
The roadshow began at Otiria Marae on Saturday, and will continue throughout New Zealand and Australia.
Pita Tipene, deputy chairman of Te Ru¯nanga o Nga¯ti
Hine, said Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little had stated at a public hui in July that he would not proceed until it was clear the proposal was supported by hapu¯ . Mr Tipene said last week that so far nine hapu¯ had agreed.
Last year 73 hapu¯ rejected the evolved Nga¯puhi mandate and 31 hapu¯ supported it.
Mr Little said engagement between the Crown and Mr Tipene and his forebears had, until now, been based on Nga¯ti Hine being part of Nga¯puhi. That was the basis on which Nga¯ti Hine joined with other Nga¯puhi hapu¯ to challenge the Tu¯horonuku mandate.
There were two key issues when considering whether he would support a separate mandate for Nga¯ti Hine, or other groups.
“First, it is important there’s an overall plan for Nga¯puhi Treaty negotiations that is not just based on one or two groups moving ahead without knowing what the rest of Nga¯puhi are doing,” he said.
“Second, the fact is there are issues that are common to all Nga¯puhi, and discussions on these issues should be with everyone around the table.”
Mr Tipene said Nga¯ti Hine did not need to be in with the rest of Nga¯puhi, however. That was the Government’s view, but it was not Nga¯ti Hine’s.
Mr Little added that he had received an “informal request” for funding when he met with Nga¯ti Hine in July, but claimant funding was only available to groups once they were recognised as a large natural grouping for their particular mandate, and once their mandate strategy was approved.
“If the minister is saying that what is required is a bit more detail, we’re quite willing to provide that on the basis that it’s a genuine approach,” Mr Tipene said.