Ngati Kahu Claim Through At Last?

I want to think that it is, after the meeting with The Minister of Treaty Settlements last Saturday at Toatoa. I did try to get to an iwi meeting at Taipa the previous Saturday but I had car trouble in Auckland. I didn't know about the Toatoa hui. It seems that it is a partial settlement proposal only involving the AIP between Ngati Kahu and the Crown at Kareponia following the five iwi forum set up at Waimanoni. My opinion is that if it is that based on that AIP, then I am in favour of it; ie

> Rangiputa Block

> Kohumaru Forest and Land Corp land

> Co- Management of DOC land and more of this back in "fee simple."

> Cultural redress of at least $15m

> Cash to buy back schools police stations and other assets and lease them back.

My stipulation would be that as the claim is made in the name of Ngati Kahu then all Ngati Kahu benefits including those like Ngati Tara Parapara and Te Paatu Kauhanga who have put in other claims. Those should be separate from the AIP claim. It is not their fault nor the Runanga's that these claims have been made since. They should be allowed to pursue them with our blessing. The fact that Parapara protested at the AIP hui should not mean that they are NOT included. For the sake of unity and whanaungatanga we should forgive and forget.

Which brings me back to the five iwi Forum and the cross claims. Kauhanga and Te Paatu should be allowed to continue with the other iwi to pursue common claims to do with Maunga Taniwha. If we are not prepared to share Rangiputa and Kohumaru with the other whanaunga then we are not entitled to Te Aupouri Forest and Te Oneroa A Tohe or a share in any other assets not in our rohe. Our interests in Te Oneroa for example can be handled by Ngati Moroki of Ahipara and our marae of Korou Kore. The hassles that prompted the walkout by Ngati Kahu has destabilized the Forum and were of Ngati Kahu's inability to think kotahitanga and whanaungatanga. We also walked out of Muriwhenua back in the day but the irony is that our Ngati Kahu claim is based on the same Wai 45 but this time signed by someone who wasn't a part of it at the time. Ah well....that's hitori.

Governance: A Ngati Kahu Settlement Trust; This should be set in place by an Act of Parliament. It's purpose is to hold all assets and cash until a Governance and Commercial Structure is establish by the iwi according to rules and regulations established by the said Act.

This protects not only the iwi interests as beneficiaries but also establishes transparent accountable and commercial and professional management of the assets and cash. It also establishes dispute resolution processes for the beneficiaries.