Listen Now: 
September 12, 2016
Ngapuhi leaders "playing chicken" with crown
Waatea Team
Posted On September 12, 2016
A member of Tuhoronuku is accusing some fellow board members of playing chicken with the Government over the future role of Ngapuhi's treaty claim negotiation body.
Moana Tuwhare has circulated a motion giving board members a Friday deadline to vote on accepting all recommendations of the Maranga Maori report.
That would lead to the creation of a new hapu-driven negotiating structure.
Tuhoronuku endorsed a draft report as long as there were seats for tribe members living in the cities and for kuia and kaumatua, but those caveats were ignored in the final report.
Ms Tuwhare says the issues have been talked through, and it's time to make a decision or risk the tribe being sent to the back of the queue for negotiations.
"What we are seeing is a small handful of people who have essentially enjoyed being a power block within Ngapuhi one – playing chicken with the minister, and two – not respecting our mandated hapu kaikorero and the wishes of our hapu and desires of our people to move on, and we're over it. It's time we are able to get on with things in such a way that has the support of the people," she says.
Ms Tuwhare said a quick decision is needed to a transition team drawn from both Tuhoronuku and Te Kotahitanga o Nga Hapu, Ngapuhi can start helping hapu to prepare for the new structure.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
RELATED NEWS
