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The Waitangi Tribunal is looking at whether it should grant urgency to a claim against the Tuhoronuku settlement process.
The Government has agreed to negotiate a settlement of Ngaphuhi’s historic claims with the body set up by the Ngapuhi Runanga, but that decision is opposed by representatives of some of the largest hapu groupings.
Elections are now under way for an enlarged Tuhoronuku that is independent of the runanga and includes more hapu representatives.
In a decision released last week, Maori Land Court Judge Sarah Reeves said she was concerned about the amount of information the crown had given claimants and the speed of the process.
She asked the Crown to pause the election to allow for the urgency application to be heard.
Waihoroi Shortland, the chair of the Ngati Hine Runanga, says it’s good news.
"At last somebody is seeing this thing from a different perspective. Somebody is looking at it from the outside, not involved with where things have been driven to, and saying ‘well hang on, why is everybody rushing these things when in fact along the way you are creating all this angst,’" he says.
The Crown has until Monday to give its response.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH WAIHOROI SHORTLAND CLICK ON THE LINK http://www.waateanews.com/play_podcast?podlink=MTY1MTA=
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