August 31, 2016
TOKM counting cost of advocacy
The chief executive of Te Ohu Kaimoana says yesterday’s special general meeting set clear directions for how the Maori fisheries settlement trust needs to work in the future.
The iwi voted for a compromise position on future funding for the organisation, voting that rather than keep the $74 million it has built up in accumulated profits, Te Ohu Kaimoana should work out how much it needs and distribute the rest.
Dion Tuuta will that means he will spend the next year working with iwi on the services iwi expect.
He says issues like the opposition to the proposed Kermadec ocean sanctuary and the marine protected areas legislation show why Te Ohu Kamoana is needed.
"People do understand that we as Maori need to be more united probably than ever before in terms of protecting our rights under the fisheries settlement and that 's what the role of Te Ohu Kaimoana is to do that alongside iwi. Iwi do not want to wind up Te Ohu Kaimoana they want to know that it can do its job in a financially responsible way, in an efficient way and that they're going to get value for money," he says.
Dion Tuuta says any changes will require changes to the Maori Fisheries Act, so it will still be two or three years before the process is completed.
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