November 27, 2016
Wairoa ready for post-settlement era
It’s the beginning of a new era for iwi and hapu of Te Rohe o Te Wairoa after the signing of their deed of settlement on Saturday.
Tamati Olsen, the chair of Te Tira Whakaemi o Te Wairoa, says the people have waited more than 30 years to get to reach agreement with the crown.
It’s the fifth largest settlement to date and includes financial redress of $100 million, which is made up of cash and land under the Wharerata and Patunamu forests.
The settlement also includes first rights of refusal over 147 properties held by the Department of Conservation, Housing New Zealand, and Land Information New Zealand, as well as other surplus crown properties landbanked by the Office of Treaty Settlements.
Mr Olsen says the people can now work to build a better future – economically, socially and culturally – for their whānau, their tamariki, and all those who come after them.
Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson says the effects on Te Wairoa iwi and hapū of the loss of the vast majority of their rohe, intense military campaigns and socio-economic deprivation can still be seen today.
The settlement provides an acknowledgement, apology and redress for the Crown’s historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.
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