Whatua looks to future in Waitangi celebration

A Ngati Whatua Orakei spokesperson says Waitangi Day was a chance to look forward more than look back.

The hapu hosted Prime Minister Bill English for the morning in what Ngarimu says was an honour for all the peoples of Tamaki Makaurau.

He says rather than challenging the crown, the talk was how all can do better for tamariki and rangatahi.

"It’s very much future-focused, about ow in a short time our iwi and others have been examples where through the suffering we have accepted very little in terms of settlement with what we should have been compensated for but just got on with it, turned those, what on the face of it are meagre settlements, into growing asset bases," he says.

Ngarimu Blair says post-settlement iwi shouldn’t let the crown off the hook for social services, but there are innovative things they can to to look after and develop their own whanau.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH NGARIMU BLAIR

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