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The negotiator for one of the eight iwi in the Central North Island collective says a six year wrangle over who holds mana whenua for the Kaingaroa Forest has brought the various iwi together.
The iwi were unable to reach agreement about who should hold title to the nine Kaingaroa blocks after 2044, so brought in adjudicators Moana Jackson, Wayne Ngata and Tahu Potiki.
Graham Pryor from Te Mana o Ngati Rangitihi says he’s very happy with how his iwi fared, even if it didn’t get everything it asked for.
"One thing I am thankful for out of the whole process is that the iwi and the CNI are very close to each other and I don't think that would have happened without the CNI settlement or not the way it is now. Very very strong relationships between iwi and the CNI so I look forward to that relationship lasting a long time out into the future," he says.
Graham Pryor says no iwi was judged to have dominance in Kaingaroa, with Ngati Rangitihi, Ngati Manawa, Tuhoe and Tuwharetoa recognised as having mana whenua interests.
Until 2044 the forests are jointly managed by CNI Iwi Holdings with revenue shared according to the settlement formula agreed with the Crown in 2008.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH GRAHAM PRYOR CLICK ON THE LINK
http://www.waateanews.com/play_podcast?podlink=MTk1OTY=
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