April 03, 2018
Central Tamaki case headed for Supreme Court
Ngati Whatua Orakei has got leave from the Supreme Court to continue its challenge to the Hauraki Collective settlement.
The hapu is angry the crown has offered the neighbouring iwi two small properties in central Auckland central, which Orakei believes it should have exclusive mana whenua rights over.
Spokesperson Ngarimu Blair says after being knocked back by the High Court and Court of Appeal, the hapu hopes next month's Supreme Court hearing will be more inquisitive around the nature of relations between the crown and its treaty partners.
He says the crown's cross-claims policy means a low bar has been set for identifying claim areas.
"Very little research or history needs to be proven in front of tribunals and the like. The bar is set really low in the rush for everyone to get to a negotiated settlement and with that bar being so low the floodgates really opened and now we turn up for meetings and there are 19 tribes, five out of the Hauraki and more from the north and south and on it goes," Mr Blair says.
Ngati Paoa and Orakei came to an out of court agreement on the marae over their respective mana whenua areas, but the other Marutuahu tribes have refused to engage at that level.
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