Ngāti Rangitihi Treaty milestone hailed as 'significant step' towards new relations with Crown

Wednesday, 16 March 2022

The iwi’s Deed of Settlement was signed in December 2020, at Rangitihi Marae, Matatā. Pictured are Minister Andrew Little and Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi chairman and lead negotiator Leith Comer at the signing.

The Ngāti Rangitihi Claims Settlement Bill has passed the final milestone in the iwi’s historical Treaty of Waitangi settlement process with its third reading at Parliament.

The move was hailed by Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little as a “significant step and the beginning of a new relationship between Ngāti Rangitihi and the Crown”.

“One based on cooperation, mutual trust and respect”.

Ngāti Rangitihi is a Te Arawa iwi based in and around Rotorua, Kaingaroa and Matatā.

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“I want to acknowledge ngā uri o Ngāti Rangitihi and the Crown negotiations teams for working tirelessly during the negotiations process to see this legislation passed,” Little said.

Through this settlement, the Crown acknowledges the injustices of its past acts and omissions which breached Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

This includes the Crown's failure to ensure members of Ngāti Rangitihi had sufficient land to support themselves in the aftermath of the Tarawera eruption, the Crown’s failure to act in good faith when leasing and purchasing Ngāti Rangitihi land blocks, and excessive land taking at Te Ariki for Public Works.

In recognition of the Crown’s failure to protect the Tarawera River from pollution associated with the Tasman Pulp and Paper mill, the settlement will establish the Tarawera Awa Restoration Strategy Group.

This group, consisting of iwi and government representatives, will support, coordinate and promote the integrated restoration of the mauri of the Tarawera River catchment.

This settlement package will provide Ngāti Rangitihi $4 million of financial redress on top of $7 million on-account commercial redress received through the 2008 Central North Island Forests Iwi Collective Settlement. It also includes the vesting of 19 sites, including the Waimangu Volcanic Valley as cultural redress.

“Ngāti Rangitihi have waited a long time for this day and although no settlement can truly atone for past injustices or compensate for the hurt Ngāti Rangitihi have endured, I look forward to the future where Ngāti Rangitihi and the Crown are working in close partnership, to benefit Ngāti Rangitihi and future generations,” Little said.

Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi is the post-settlement governance entity.

The Ngāti Rangitihi Deed of Settlement was signed at Rangitihi Marae in Matatā on December 5, 2020.