Te Rūnanga-ā-Iwi o Ngāti Kahu
Land Claims Report for June 2020
1. Waitangi Tribunal – preparing claims for hearing
2. National Iwi Chairs Forum: Pandemic Response Group & Aotearoa 2020 Vision
Summary
• We are awaiting directions from the Waitangi Tribunal on the next steps in preparation for hearing our claim for binding recommendations. COVID-19 prevented a hui of all claimants and that has still to take place.
• The COVID-19 Pandemic (Fast Track Consenting) Bill still has serious short-comings despite expert input from Iwi Chairs’ technicians.
• The Aotearoa 2020 Vision social media initiative has proved very successful in seeking out the views of a wide range of New Zealanders on a single vision for the country.
2. National Iwi Chairs Forum: Pandemic Response Group
Work on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic has been concentrated around the COVID-19 Pandemic (Fast Track Consenting) Bill. Despite excellent input from the Iwi Chairs’ technicians, there remain a number of problems with the Bill. It is being rushed through with little time for considered responses. National Iwi Chairs Forum does not support it in its current form because, among a number of other matters,
• there is no evidence that it will stimulate the economy – it’s primary aim appears to be to get round many provisions in the Resource Management Act that include protecting whānau, hapū and iwi relationships with their lands, waters, wāhi tapu etc.
• Climate change is not a consideration.
• It ignores a number of Cabinet directives to include iwi in decision-making.
The Human Rights Commission has been supporting the Forum in our opposition to this Bill.
Aotearoa 2020 Vision project
Matike Mai Aotearoa launched a social media project in May called Aotearoa 2020 Vision. It aimed to gather as many views as possible on what a vision for Aotearoa should be. It is part of Matike Mai Aotearoa’s on-going work on constitutional transformation and the response to Sir Tipene O’Regan’s advice that in order to start a conversation on transforming the country’s constitution, there needs to be a common vision.
The project has drawn considerable interest and many contributions. I’ve attached a summary of the input received over the past six weeks. The leading themes have been the well-being of the environment, housing, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and social justice. The Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/aotearoa2020vision/
Professor Margaret Mutu
22 June 2020