March 13, 2018
Talking and talking best cure for Tuhoronuku stand-off
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little is confident stalled negotiations with Ngapuhi can be put back on track.
Talks stalled at the end of 2016 when the crown tried to secure changes in the way mandated negotiating body Tuhoronuku was set up.
That raised expectations among its critics in Te Kotahitanga, which was pushing for greater hapu level involvement.
Last month Mr Little spent a weekend last month talking with the leaders of the two groups and put a proposal on how hapu rangatiratanga can be accommodated.
He will meet again once they have consulted with their members.
"With issues that have been such a long time in the making and the stand off has been so long, there is no substitute for talking and talking and talking it through. I am confident we will get to a point where people say 'Actually, we have just got to get on with it.'
"I did a round of hui around the rohe. The message to me was overwhelmikng from young and old. It was 'this has been going on too long. We need to make progress.' I get a sense the leaders understand they need to make progress and there is a willingness to do so," he says.
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