July 08, 2022
Rangitāne o Wairau leader Richard Bradley dies
Rangitāne o Wairau and other iwi from Te Tau Ihu have lost a visionary leader with the death this week of Richard Bradley.
Mr Bradley was one of the rangatira who challenged the way aquaculture space in the Marlborough Sounds was being allocated, leading to a Court of Appeal finding that the Māori Land Court could determine whether areas of foreshore and seabed was customary land.
The then-Labour Government’s sparked widespread Māori protests when it overruled that judgment with the passing of the Foreshore and Seabed Act.
Mr Bradley also convinced Ngāti Apa ki Te Rā Tō and Ngāti Kuia to join Rangitāne in negotiating their historic treaty claims under the umbrella of Kurahaupō ki te Waipounamu Trust, and was lead negotiator for the settlement reached in 2014.
Marlborough Mayor John Leggett says he was a brave and passionate leader who used his people skills to great effect with everyone he worked with.
Mr Bradley was also development manager at Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau, a director of the Rangitāne commercial board and a member of the Māori Heritage Council at Heritage New Zealand.