Treaty settlements

Members of three central North Island iwi are preparing to elect their first board of trustees since signing a $28.5 million Treaty settlement with the Crown.

Goldsmith visited Te Tii for Te Kotahitanga o ngā hapū Ngāpuhi’s October meeting, amidst efforts to get Ngāpuhi hapū together to work towards treaty settlement.

A hapū due to reclaim a Hāwera school site wants the Crown to remove toxic asbestos and lead – but the government landlord is refusing, stalling the return of the land.

The third reading of the Te Whakatōhea Claims Settlement Bill, a momentous occasion for the iwi, quickly turned sour after Assistant Speaker Maureen Pugh interrupted iwi kaikōrero.

New fast-track consenting legislation could undermine Treaty of Waitangi settlements, says Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Justin Tipa.