Te Rūnanga ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi and the Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust have walked out of an Iwi Chairs Forum hui with government ministers, including the prime minister, Christopher Luxon.
Mane Tahere, chair of Te Rūnanga ā Iwi o Ngāpuhi, said he refused to sit there longer and listen to the government’s rhetoric.
“It’s no secret... our people are in a challenging time, the most challenging time we’ve ever been in, I think, with the removal of the different legislations, and soon to be the overturning of the Foreshore Seabed Act or MACA... ...we can’t remain silent about this attack on Māori.”
During last night’s discussions at the forum, a resolution was passed that would signal to Christopher Luxon and his ministers that there would be no invitation to future forums until further notice, due to policies that adversely affected Māori.
But the reading of the resolution was overturned by iwi leaders ahead of the government’s arrival this morning.
Along with Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manuhiri and Te Roroa chose to leave the forum.
Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust Chair Mook Hohneck was saddened by the decision.
“That resolution pertained to where and when we would meet government officials at our hui. It was passed in the hui last night that through the resolution we would address that with the Crown today.
“Unfortunately, that resolution was put into abeyance and some of us were notified this morning that that wasn’t going to be the case, that it wasn’t going to be read out in front of the Crown, or to the Crown today, but later on.”
“Our opinion was that we didn’t support that, so we walked out.”
Tahere clarified the rūnanga was not protesting the Forum itself, but rather the act of “rolling out the red carpet” for government ministers, as well against the policies of the coalition.
“I understand that there are two sides to the discussion and actually having the face-to-face kōrero, but for our people and for Ngāpuhi... we have to stand.”
Hohneck also said the walkout was not planned, despite appearances.
“It wasn’t planned at all; it just came about of a series of discussions and discussion right around the whole forum.”
He said Ngāpuhi announced it wasn’t happy with a few of the issues on the floor, and Ngāti Manuhiri supported that, along with others.
He said a forum was an opportunity to openly discuss challenges, but suggested there was a “separation of collective thoughts... or decision-making.”
“We chose the decision to walk out alongside Ngāpuhi, our whanaunga, who we have whakapapa and connections within the North, obviously.”
Along with Manuhiri and Ngāpuhi, Te Roroa Chair, Thomas Hohaia, supported the stance of Ngapuhi.
Tahere said the conversations over recent days have been wide-ranging and deep-diving, from the rollback of Te Aka Whai Ora, to Oranga Tamariki.
“What I would ask the Prime Minister, all of the ministers that are having this effect on our people, is just stop.
“You poke and poke, you’re bound to get the response.”
RNZ is reporting a number of government ministers at the Forum, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Minister of Justice Paul Goldsmith, Minister of Māori Development Tama Potaka, Customs and Associate Health minister Casey Costello and Climate Change Minister Simon Watts.
The Prime Minister’s office has been contacted for comment.