December 10, 2013
CFRT to fund Northland hearings
The Crown Forestry Rental Trust has broken a year-long impasse and agreed to fund Te Paparahi o Te Rahi claims in Northland.
The trust was unable to consider the funding request until its November meeting because of objections raised by trustees appointed by the New Zealand Maori Council that it was cutting corners and not following the process of approving clients.
In the meantime the government has been funding the Waitangi Tribunal hearings.
The trust has now approved Te Kotahitanga O Nga Hapu o Ngapuhi, Whangarei and Waimate-Taiamai clusters as approved clients for operational funding, research and mapping.
It will also fund hearings until the end of next year.
Te Kotahitanga co-chair Pita Tipene says it is a great relief after a long period of uncertainty.
He says the concern now is whether the Government will give a mandate to Ngapuhi Runanga-backed group Tuhoronuku to start negotiating a settlement before the hearings are completed.
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