July 18, 2014
Bumbling led to Rena treaty breaches
A Tauranga moana iwi leader is blaming bumbling incompetence rather than malice for repeated Crown breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi in relation to the Rena clean up.
The Waitangi Tribunal has issued an interim report slating the Crown’s consultation with iwi over the deal it struck with owners of the stricken cargo ship that could see what’s left of the wreck left on Otaiti-Astrolabe Reef.
It recommends that protection of the reef be declared an issue of national importance, and that the Crown fund Maori who want to object to the resource consent being sought by the owners.
Charlie Tawhiao from Ngai Te Rangi says after 30 years of Waitangi Tribunal rulings the Crown should have a better idea of how to work within treaty guidelines.
"Bumbling incompetence seems to have been a recurring feature of government agencies' involvement in the Rena crisis from the very beginning, not in every case, but certainly a high level of bumbling is evident, and the mistakes made by the crown agencies in advising the government on the signing of this deed are example of that I think," he says.
Mr Tawhiao says while the Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister is working hard to settle past claims including those of Tauranga Moana iwi, crown agencies are creating new breaches.
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