. ' Te Hiku Settlement Bill- Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Paa a Parore Marae on the Ngaitakoto Claim Maori Affairs Select Committee Te Hiku Settlement Bill Submissions from Waimanoni Marae, Mahimaru Marae & Te Paa a Parore Marae In Relation to the Ngaitakoto Settlement Submissions By Shorty Murray Chair Waimanoni Marae Mary Peterson Chair Mahimaru Marae 1 He iti pioke no Rangaunu ------------
,. Te Hiku Settlement Bill- Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Paa a Parore Marae on the Ngaitakoto Claim Angela Hobson Chair T e Paa a Parore Marae As the Chairpersons of the three Marae in Ngaitakoto we ask that you receive these submissions as a public record of our interest and relationship to the Te Hiku Settlement Bill and in particular the matters raised relating to the management of the Ngaitakoto Settlement Signed by Anthony Michael Murray [Shorty] Chairman Waimanoni Marae Komiti Signed by Mary Peterson Chairperson Mahimaru Marae Komiti Signed by Angela Keung-Hopihana Chairperson Te Paa A Parore Marae Komiti 2 --
Te Hiku Settlement Bill- Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Faa a Parore Marae on the Ngaita/wto Claim He iti pioke no Rangaunu 3
Te Hiku Settlement Bill- Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Paa a Parore Marae on the Ngaitakoto Claim Submission 1 of 3: Anthony Michael Murray (Shorty) Chairman Waimanoni Marae Komiti 1. To the Maori Affairs Select Committee, tena koutou. Tena koutou to the whanau gathered here in support of our submission to the Settlement Bill. We are representing 75% of Ngaitakoto Marae - Mahimaru, Te Pa-A-Parore and Waimanoni. My name is Anthony Michael Murray and I am representing Waimanoni Marae. 2. We wish to thank you for the opportunity to put forward our mamae and concerns in the hope that our story will bring forth the truth. 3. Firstly, we wish to pay tribute to those who have journeyed this road before us with the vision of our whanau, hapu, marae and iwi. Maori Marsden, deceased, who put forward Ngaitakoto Claim 45 under Te Runanga o Muriwhenua; Lance Justice Brown, deceased, who withdrew Ngaitakoto from Te Runanga o Muriwhenua at a 5 iwi hui at Waimanoni Marae in July 1995; Harold Petera, deceased, who lodged Wai 613 with the Waitangi Tribunal on July 1996; Poua Erstich, deceased, who inspired us by standing firm in his belief that omission is not a pathway to follow which resulted in whanau being jailed for trespassing on the Ngaitakoto Embassy or Kaitaia Airport. We acknowledge these people and all Ngaitakoto whanau who stood beside them then, and the ones that continue to stand today. 4. Our submission hangs heavily on the withdrawal of Waimanoni and Mahimaru mandate from Ngaitakoto A lwi Research Unit Trust to act on our behalf due to conflicting differences and the exclusion ofte Paa A Parore in the Ngaitakoto Deed of Settlement. You will observe through our unified korero that we have never opposed the claims settlement for Ngaitakoto however, the above actions have been attributed to inadequate processes and lack of effective communication and consultation. 5. We have been effectively ignored, ridiculed, belittled and insulted because of our refusal to accept the claims process which excluded participation and contribution for us as Ngaitakoto. In order to maintain the mana of our Marae, we withdrew as the constant conflict impacted on us spiritually, physically and emotionally which was overwhelming. 4
Te Hiku Settlement Bill- Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Paa a Parore Morae on the Ngaitakoto Claim Notable areas that have caused raruraru within Ngaitakoto, were: a) Amendments made to the new Research Unit Trust's deed were not ratified by Marae and changed to give negotiators the power to vote; b) The non-transparent accountability processes of reporting the state of play to Marae and whanau and the absence of audit requirements annually to Ngaitakoto; c) The failures/unwillingness of the Trust to reconcile the growing rift at Hui-A-Iwi; d) The absence of any public process for appointing negotiators despite recommendations; e) The omission of information which left us excluded in the claims process; D The failure of crown processes to act on the chasm of discontent by continually endorsing an entity which treated whanau as if we were insignificant. 6. Where to for us now? We cannot change history but we can learn from the past. Our solution is: I. To reinstate equal Marae representation on the Post Settlement Governance Entity (PSGE) immediately II. To order the start of a fair and just Trustee election process immediately Ill. To request that the Runanga conduct an AGM and provide an audited report to Ngaitakoto Marae IV. To support the traditional roles of the marae to maintain autonomy and be part of the leadership process for Ngaitakoto - post settlement 7. To conclude our korero and before I hand over to Mary Peterson of Mahimaru Marae, I would like to leave you with our Ngaitakoto pepeha: "He iti marangai tu ana te pahukuhuka He iti Pioke no Rangaunu, He au tonal" Small though the pioke may be, great is its wake as it traverses the might of the Rangaunu. This pepeha refer to the abilities of the pioke or the spiny dogfish that reside in the water of the Rangaunu Harbour. Although small, it is renowned for the ability and strength that it possesses in overcoming opposing obstacles. When moving as a unified group, the pioke are identified and regarded as being a formidable force. 5
Te Hiku Settlement Bill- Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Paa a Parore Marae on the Ngaitakoto Claim Monday 02 March 2015: Kaitaia {for more information contact Shorty Murray 027 477 6161 shortymurray@xtra.co.nz Nga mihi ki a koutou katoa. Submission 2 of 3: Mary Peterson Chairperson Mahimaru Marae Komiti 1. I am here today to discuss the Te Hiku Settlement Bill and how it relates to Mahimaru Marae and our journey in the Ngaitakoto Settlement. 2. Firstly, I want to say thank you to Waimanoni Marae for the opportunity to speak alongside them & Te Paa a Parore Marae. As told we are 75% of the Marae for Ngaitakoto and together, we are concerned with the governance and leadership of the PSGE. 3. I am proud to be chair of the Mahimaru Marae. We helped write the claim. We helped set up the roopu to lead the claim and held several hui on our Marae. When there was no money and no resources, we pulled together as Marae because IT WAS A MARAE INITIATED CLAIM. To be honest, we have travelled this road longer than any other member currently on the Runanga so we have a long and emotional history with Wai 613. 4. But today it is anything but a MARAE initiated claim. Right now 3 of the 4 Marae are not represented on the PSGE. 5. In 2012 When the Deed of Settlement went through the ratification process people voted on the information in the booklet. The Booklet showed a Runanga structure clearly illustrating representation of Marae. Whanau voted accordingly. Yet last year the Runanga issued a 'discussion document' showing a new structure with no Marae representation. 6. Ngaitakoto people have already voted on their chosen structure - it can't be changed just because the PSGE has lost its way with the Marae. 7. Last week, I was told in no uncertain terms by the Runanga of the new PSGE for Ngaitakoto that our Marae, Mahimaru was not entitled to any settlement funds because we withdrew our mandate from the Claim in April 2011. I hope he was just having a bad hair day. I left that meeting feeling upset because it continues to describe a behavior of disunity, conflict, division between the PSGE and its Marae base. 8. Withdrawing our mandate 4 years ago was the result of mounting tensions with the total lack of communication or involvement by the Trust. The more we spoke the less we were listened too. When we asked TPK and OTS for help they said it was an internal issue. The irony is that TPK required us to have marae endorsement as part of their mandating criteria for this claim but when 50% of the Marae later withdraw their support - what was the role of Government- there was none. 9. Losing half of your mandated support for a multi-million dollar settlement should be taken seriously by Government because it has the power, the resource and the leverage to fix the 6
Te Hiku Settlement Bill Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Paa a Parore Marae on the Ngaitakoto Claim problem. In reality, the pressures by Government to seal the settlements deal drowned out my voice and the voices of the other Marae. 10. For this, the Government not the Runanga need to know that we are not all idiots nor are we the small group of troublemakers as has been written about us. We hold the mantle of Marae - a very big cultural responsibility - the voice, the role and the leadership of Marae is paramount to these new and exciting beginnings in this post settlement phase and we are ready to play our role. 11. In closing we have NEVER been against the Settlement of OUR claim but we have felt unjustly excluded from participating in the decisions of our future- post settlement. 12. I ask you to consider 3 types of action which you as a select committee may be able to influence: a. To ensure there is adequate protection in place to stop the Trust Deed from being changed so that our Marae may be represented on the Runanga as voted for by our people b. To make it a condition for the Runanga to run its first election and present audited accounts to its beneficiaries as per the timeline documented by the Runanga in the ratification process. c. To appoint a mediator to bridge the relationship between the Runanga and its Marae base. 13. As noted by Pita Paraone in the first reading of the Bill - today is about leadership, Ngaitakoto leadership - and unity, Ngaitakoto unity and our rights as bestowed upon us by our cultural traditions as Marae to sit alongside others on the Ngaitakoto post settlement table. We certainly will ensure that we select the right caliber, the right qualifications and the right attitude of people to represent our future. It's all we've ever asked for and all we've ever wanted. Thank you Mary Peterson Chairperson Mahimaru Marae 7
Te Hiku Settlement Bill- Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Paa a Parore Marae on the Ngaitakoto Claim Submission 3 of 3: Angela Keung-Hobson Chairperson Te Paa a Parore Marae Komiti 1. Ko Kapene Wiremu Hopihana Te Tupuna I moe a Parekuratahi Pouto no Ngatiwhatua Ka puta to raua tamaiti Wiremu I moe a Merengawi Karipa note Paatu Ka puta nga tamariki toko whaea,mereana, Tiakariri, Heremaia me Emmaroa note Marae 0 Te Paa A Parore. Heke mai a hau I raro ia Mereana. Ko Angela Keung-Hopihana taku ingoa. I stand before you this afternoon as the Chairperson of Te Paa A Parore representing my whanau from Paparore. 2. From the 17th December 2012 through to 30th December 2014, Te Paa A Parore Marae continues to have no representative on Te Runanga 0 Ngaitakoto. a. This is not by choice but by a resolution by Te Runanga 0 Ngaitakoto Board of Trustees who found a clause to exit our representative b. We were removed because of our repeated requests for clarification to issues raised about the new PSGE and our desire to consult wider. c. Invitations to the Runanga for hui-a-iwi were proposed by the 3 Marae before you today, all of which were declined by the current Board. 3. It is not the claims process we are disputing. 4. We, as a whanau and members of NgaiTakoto lwi are indicating to you that there are flaws in the internal processes of the PSGE and also that the representative interface between the Crown table and the people has been flawed. 5. The main flaws consist ofa) Lack of consultation - we voted on the PSGE structure which showed how Marae will participate in all stages of development. b) Alas, we were not consulted on the Deed of Settlement- we never saw it and were advised in 2014 it was not complete. c) I again echo, opportunities to redress the concern of fractured communication with the interim Board of Te Runanga 0 Ngaitakoto was declined despite the mention of hui consultations in discussion papers such as the Annual Management Reports December 2012- November 2014. d) Hence our mamae or hurt of being tossed aside after voting for a brighter future for all of Ngaitakoto lwi. 6. Three booklets were published proposing a illustrated Marae representation structure. 7. The first document - the Ratification Information document 2012 - distinctly outlines representation from all four Marae. This is the structure we as a people voted for. 8
Te Hiku Settlement Bill- Submission from Waimanoni, Mahimaru and Te Paa a Parore Morae on the Ngaitakoto Claim 8. The second proposed Representation Model was outlined in the Business Plan Te Ara Hapara 2013-2016, illustrating a Marae structure representation with the inclusion of whanau from Australia. This gave us hope of strong participation for our Marae- one of the principles of The Treaty of Waitangi underpinning the claims Bill. 9. However, a year later they have released a third discussion paper December 2014- omitting marae representation in favour of equal representation from each whanau (individually and collectively). 10. To reiterate, the Han Chris Finalyson in his first reading of the Te Hiku Claims Settlement Bill... "the collective actions and omissions of the Crown left all Te Hiku iwi with insufficient land for their needs, undermined their economy, and frayed the social fabric of the far north." a. The current Board has "mirrored" if not undermined the Whanau of Ngaitakoto in a similar fashion to the Crown- it perpetuates one wrong after another with the biggest being lack of communication to key stakeholders. b. We stand before you all today, and implore you all to consider before this Bill passes into the next phase toward legislation, that the Ngaitakoto Deed of Settlement is subject to: i. Marae representation, as each individual within a Whanau within Ngaitakoto rohe affiliates to one of the four Marae: Te Paa A Parore; Waimanoni; Mahimaru and Wharemaru (Kaimaumau). ii. An AGM allows for a fair and diligent due process of election from each of these Marae. iii. This Statement from the respective Chairpersons of the three Marae before you be recorded. Thank you all for your time. Angela Keung-Hopihana Chairperson Te Paa a Parore Marae 9