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Ngati Tuwharetoa is a step closer to settling its historical Treaty of Waitangi claims with the signing of an agreement in principle.
Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson says the agreement in principle outlines a broad settlement package which includes provisional Crown acknowledgements of Treaty of Waitangi breaches and cultural, financial and commercial redress.
It includes the transfer to the iwi of several high-profile sites around Lake Taupo and the central plateau.
Public access will be guaranteed to all but part of one site.
Ngati Tuwharetoa has already achieved a settlement which gave it ownership of the bed of Lake Taupo.
It was also part of the Treelord Central North island forestry settlement, which accounted for the bulk of Crown assets in the region.
Claims relating to Tongariro National Park will be dealt with in a separate negotiation which will include other iwi and hapu which claim interests in the park.
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