March 15, 2026

#regional: Public Submissions Open on Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana Treaty Settlement Bill

Matthew Tukaki Posted On March 15, 2026

Public submissions are now open on the Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana Claims Settlement Bill, with the Māori Affairs Committee inviting feedback from iwi members and the wider public before the legislation progresses through Parliament.

The bill passed its first reading in Parliament and has been referred to the committee for further consideration, with a report back to the House expected later this year. Submissions will remain open until 11.59pm on 10 April 2026, giving people the opportunity to share their views on the proposed settlement.

The legislation gives effect to the Treaty of Waitangi settlement reached between the Crown and Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana, with the deed of settlement signed in February this year. The bill formally records the Crown’s acknowledgements and apology for historical actions that caused long-term harm to the iwi, including land loss, breaches of Treaty obligations and the erosion of autonomy and wellbeing.

As part of the settlement package, the bill proposes a range of cultural, financial and commercial redress measures. These include returning certain Crown-owned properties to the iwi, such as sites at Kaitawa and Turi-o Kahu, and transferring other redress assets to the trustees representing Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana.

The legislation also proposes adding significant areas of land within the iwi’s rohe to Te Urewera, the legal entity established under the Te Urewera Act 2014, reflecting the deep cultural and ancestral connections Ngāti Ruapani maintain with the region surrounding Lake Waikaremoana.

Other provisions include a 185-year right of first refusal over certain Crown-owned land in the iwi’s area of interest, as well as measures confirming that existing public access and other rights over certain areas will continue.

Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana represents around 1,600 people, with an area of interest covering roughly 150,000 hectares around Lake Waikaremoana. The settlement aims to provide recognition and redress for historical injustices that saw the iwi lose much of their customary land and resources during the colonial period.

The Māori Affairs Committee has indicated it may travel to the Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana rohe to hear oral submissions from those wishing to present their views directly.

Once the submissions process is completed and the committee reports back to Parliament, the bill will continue through the remaining stages of the legislative process before it can become law and finalise the settlement of Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana’s historical Treaty claims.