April 04, 2018
Historic visit lobby chance for Ngapuhi
Ngapuhi chair Sonny Tau has welcomed the chance to brief ministers and MPs on his runanga and its plans for the country's largest iwi.
Ngapuhi kuia and kaumatua and the runanga were hosted in parliament's banquet hall on Tuesday evening by Te Taitokerau MP Kelvin Davis after visiting the National Library's He Tohu exhibition, which includes the 1835 Declaration of Independence, He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Mr Tau presented on the future of Ngapuhi, and says many of the MPs seemed surprised at the size of the iwi and the range of its activities.
The discussion also strayed into the settlement of historic claims, where talks stalled over the previous Government's response to a mandate challenge and what Mr Tau calls interference by officials.
"By and large discussions last night were around the runanga, its fitness as the only mandated organisation for Ngapuhi under the management of the fisheries settlement and all that. I gave them a rundown on where we are with providing services for Ngapuhi going forward," Mr Tau says.
He and Tuhorokuku chair Hone Sadler along with Te Kotahitanga co-chairs Pita Tipene and Rudy Taylor are set to meet Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little on Saturday to discuss how the negotiating body can reflect the interests of both the hapu of Ngapuhi and those tribal members living outside the rohe.
Copyright © 2018, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com