Signing of a significant settlement milestone
Treaty of Waitangi NegotiationsMinister in Charge of Treaty Negotiations Hon Margaret Wilson has welcomed today’s signing of an “Agreement in Principle” by Nga Rauru and the Crown as a significant milestone for both the south Taranaki iwi and the government.
The “Agreement in Principle”, which sets out the Crown’s offer for the settlement of the historical claims of Nga Rauru was signed this afternoon at Kaipo Marae, Waitotara.
“Nga Rauru is the first claimant group this government has been involved with from the start,” Margaret Wilson said. “We have been able to make such speedy progress - from Deed of Mandate stage to Agreement in Principle – because of the constructive and collaborative way both the Crown and the Nga Rauru negotiators have approached negotiations.”
Margaret Wilson said the Agreement in Principle document is an example of how this government has streamlined the Treaty negotiations process.
“We have done away with the detailed Heads of Agreement document. In the past this stage absorbed considerable time and resources of both the Crown and the claimants. Now we can move directly from the Agreement in Principle to a draft Deed of Settlement.”
The Nga Rauru Agreement in Principle is made up of a redress package which includes an agreed historical account and Crown acknowledgements (which will form the basis for a formal apology from the Crown), cultural redress including the transfer of five sites of significance to Nga Rauru, and a combination of cash and Crown owned land up to the value of $31 million.
Margaret Wilson said today’s Agreement in Principle adopted a different approach than previous settlements in that it has a particular focus on the ongoing relationship between Nga Rauru and the Crown.
“This aspect of the Crown’s offer is critical to Nga Rauru’s intention to use the redress contained in their settlement to revitalise their cultural identity and values.”
Work would now start on the detail required to progress the Agreement in Principle to a draft Deed of Settlement, Margaret Wilson said.
“Both the Crown and Nga Rauru are aiming to reach this milestone by August. At that point the draft Deed of Settlement will be initialled by the negotiators and put to the people of Nga Rauru for a vote. If ratified, a binding Deed of Settlement will be signed.”
The settlement would be conditional on the establishment of an appropriate body to receive the settlement redress and the passage through Parliament of the required settlement legislation.
Margaret Wilson said she fully expected “the unprecedented level of activity currently being enjoyed in the Treaty settlements area to continue”.
The signing of a Deed of Settlement with Ngati Tama of Taranaki in December 2001 brought to three the number of comprehensive Treaty settlements finalised by the government in the past year.
Legislation for the Ngati Ruanui settlement was introduced into Parliament yesterday. Progress in negotiations continued in other parts of the country, in particular the Bay of Plenty and in the Far North.
Margaret Wilson said this progress would be helped by the new Claims Development Team to be set up shortly within the Office of Treaty Settlements. The team’s role would be to assist claimant groups at the early stages of the negotiation process.
“I am confident this government will continue to make excellent progress in Treaty settlements.”