April 15, 2013
Ngapuhi chair opens door for critics
Ngapuhi Chair Sonny Tau says it’s time for Ngāti Hine to come back into the tent.
The Māori Appellate Court has ruled that it can’t step into a long running dispute over whether the hapū should be represented by the body the Ngapuhi Rūnanga set up to negotiate claims, Te Rōpū ō Tuhoronuku.
The Crown is considering whether to start talks, after demanding changes to make Tuhoronuku independent of the rūnanga.
Mr Tau says it’s time for the Northland iwi to present a united face to the Crown.
“They went to court over the ability of Tuhoronuku to cover the claims they think belonged to them solely. We’ve said, ‘everybody has felt the mamae or the pain of confiscation and the dubious law’s that have been passed over the years so we’re all in this together’. The Crown has supported the view that there’s only one settlement,” he says.
Sonny Tau says Ngāti Hine’s leaders can stand for election to Tuhoronuku before negotiations start.
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