June 25, 2024
Cross-party support for Taranaki settlement bill
The chief executive of Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa, Dion Tuuta, hopes the political consensus holds around the Taranaki Maunga Settlement Bill.
The Māori affairs select committee was in New Plymouth yesterday hearing submissions on the bill.
Mr Tuuta says all iwi in Taranaki are united behind the bill and proud of the work of their negotiators.
“We were very pleased and heartened and surprised by the fact that the bill had unanimous support in the House – so even ACT, which I think everyone was surprised about given the bll has elements of co-governance – even ACT supported the first reding of the bill. We hope that unanimity of support from political parties carried on,” he says.
Mr Tuuta says Te Atiawa and Taranaki is looking forward to welcoming whanau and manuhiri for Pomare Day on Friday, and last week reopened Owae Marae after the extensive refurbishment of the mahau.