Treaty Negotiations for Ngāpuhi: Update on Progress

The Māori select committee has been given an update on the status of a potential treaty settlement for Ngāpuhi, with executives from Te Arawhiti – the Office for Māori Crown Relations – appearing before the committee as part of this year’s scrutiny week.

Background on the Negotiations

The negotiations have been ongoing since 2019, with the Crown continuing to recognize the Tuhoronuku mandate, one mandate for all of Ngāpuhi, which was initially accepted by the National government in 2009. However, the current process involves three groups formally undertaking mandate work: Ngāti Hine, Whangaroa, and a grouping in the Bay of Islands known as Te Whakaitanga.

Progress Made

Regional director Fern Hyett stated that despite Minister Tama Potaka’s preference for “larger groupings” of hāpu to form and achieve a mandate, Te Arawhiti would not be forcing anyone to the negotiation table. Instead, they would allow groups to decide whether to participate in mandate work, with some groups requiring the Crown to accept that sovereignty was never ceded on a hāpu or country-wide level before engaging.

Challenges and Costs

Hyett mentioned that the cost of the work undertaken to achieve a mandate for Ngāpuhi, including Tuhoronuku, was around $12 million. Both Labour’s Peeni Henare and the Green Party’s Steve Abel asked how the Crown would reconcile seeking a mandate with groups who have acknowledged not ceding sovereignty.

Hyett responded by stating that those discussions should take place at the negotiation table, where “we want to have that conversation.” She also noted that relationships between iwi and hāpu evolve over time, and sometimes treaty settlements or stages of settlement can be flashpoints for relationships, which are then removed from the equation in a post-settlement space.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Māori select committee has been given an update on the progress made towards a potential treaty settlement for Ngāpuhi. While challenges and costs remain, Te Arawhiti is committed to allowing groups to decide whether to participate in mandate work, with discussions of sovereignty and negotiations taking place at the negotiation table.