December 20, 2017
Koro Taranaki to become a legal person
Taranaki Maunga is to become a legal personality in its own right, with joint responsibility shared between local Maori and the government.
The Government signed an agreement yesterday with the eight iwi of Taranaki setting out the collective cultural redress that will apply to claims over [Taranaki Maunga] Egmont National Park.
The Record of Understanding outlines the broad terms including repealing the Mount Egmont Vesting Act, and giving legal personality and the creation of a joint Crown-Iwi governance entity for the area within the National Park.
Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little says it’s a great day for the people of Taranaki.
The bulk of the negotiations had been done under the previous Government, but it had baulked on signing off giving the mountain a similar status to Te Urewera and Te Awa Tupua Whanganui River.
The agreement is a major step towards implementing the seven individual treaty settlements signed in Taranaki over the past 20 years.
The eighth Taranaki iwi, Ngati Maru, also signed an agreement in principle yesterday, paving the way for a $30 million settlement.
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