September 12, 2012
Tuhoe generous to take settlement
Greens co-leader Metiria Turei is praising Tuhoe for their generosity for accepting less than full ownership of Te Urewera.
Iwi negotiators have agreed to a package that includes shared management of Te Urewera National Park.
The $170 million deal includes the iwi’s $67 million share of the $400 million Treelord forestry settlement, as well as a new arrangement for developing and managing social services in partnership with government agencies.
Ms Turei says that’s a step on the road to mana motuhake.
"I think the whole push for mana motuhake is really good and I think Tuhoe is doing what they intend to do which is asserting their independence and right to self determination. We also need to congratulate them for accepting the deal as it is because it is not what they really wanted but its close and it’s great that they’ve accepted it," she says.
The negotiators will now work to completing a deed by the end of the year that will be put to the iwi’s 35,000 members for ratification.