November 09, 2018
Tipene relieved to drop Tūhono role
A familiar face will be missing from Ngāpuhi hui over the next month as hapū consider whether to back an evolved mandate for negotiating the tribe's treaty settlement.
Te Kotahitanga o Ngā Hapū o Ngāpuhi this week voted for its co-chairs Pita Tipene and Rudy Taykor to step away from Te Roopu Tūhono, the working group with mandated negotiating body Tūhoronuku that developed the proposal.
Despite the meeting including fewer than 40 people, Mr Tipene says he feels bound by the result.
He says it's a relief, as the proposal didn't go far enough to protect hapū rangatiratanga.
"By people seeing me sitting up at the front table at the various road show hui they get very confused thinking I support it and while I don't have that much influence among our people, there are some people who when they see me sitting there will vote in favour of it if they see me as part of Te Roopu Tūhono. There is now no confusion. I'm out. I don't support it and today I'll be voting no," Mr Tipene says.
Information and voting hui will be held at Terenga Paraoa Marae in Whangārei this evening, Poroti, Opononi, and Kaikohe tomorrow,and Kaeo, Waitangi and Māngere on Sunday.
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