Te Rūnanga-ā-Iwi o Ngāti Kahu
Land Claims Report for November 2019
1. Waitangi Tribunal – awaiting advice
2. National Iwi Chairs Forum – meeting with Prime Minister
Summary
• The Waitangi Tribunal has now released its decision on the approach it will take to
the hearing for binding recommendations. We will discuss it at the hui-a-marama.
• As a result of the message that National Iwi Chairs Forum sent to the government
strongly criticising its lack of engagement with us, the Prime Minister asked for an urgent meeting on 11 December.
2. National Iwi Chairs Forum – meeting with Prime Minister
As reported last month, at the last Forum hui at Waikawa (Picton) on 1 November, the following key statement was delivered to the New Zealand government from the Forum:
• Under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Crown is obligated to engage iwi early,
meaningfully and effectively on any matter affecting iwi, hapū and whānau.
• The NICF provides a forum for the Crown to work alongside member iwi on improving delivery of this obligation, while maintaining the mana and independence of all iwi of the motu.
• The NICF notes that the Prime Minister and the Crown have made commitments
over 2019 to a relationship with the NICF that the Crown has not fulfilled.
• Meanwhile the Crown has embarked on several important policy decisions over
2019 without direct input from the Iwi of the motu and without regard for our individual settlement legislation and in the absence of any discernible plan for engagement with Iwi.
• This situation leaves the NICF member iwi considering taking direct courses of
action to address the serious derogation of Crown obligations to iwi under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
This statement serves as notice to the Crown of this situation.
The Prime Minister responded very quickly asking that National Iwi Chairs Forum meet with her on 11 December. The invitation has been accepted. A hui will be held in Auckland on 5 December to prepare for that meeting and to decide who of the chairs who lead the various working groups and/or host Forum hui will attend that meeting.
Professor Margaret Mutu
29 November 2019