December 13, 2018
Ngāti Paoa dispute sent to mediation
The Māori Land Court has ordered the two bodies contesting control of Ngāti Paoa into mediation over merging their membership rolls and deciding who should represent the tribe in Resource Management Act and local government matters.
Ngāti Paoa Iwi Trust, which is the tribe’s post-settlement governance entity, sought a review under section 30 of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act, which covers who should represent a tribe.
Deputy Chief Judge Caren Fox said the court doesn’t like issuing section 30 orders because they are in fundamental opposition to a tribe’s right to appoint its own representatives.
She deferred the application until other options are tried.
She set an end date of December 21 on a 2009 order that gave the Ngāti Paoa Trust Board responsibility for representing the tribe under the RMA.
The dispute arose in part because the Iwi Trust, which the Trust Board maintains will only become the tribal representative once settlements are concluded, signed off on developments on Waiheke Island which the Trust Board had opposed.
Copyright © 2018, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com