At Last? 

The Waitangi Tribunal has returned it's verdict on Ngati Kahu's application for binding recommendations on the Crown. They have made recommendations which are not binding but instead reinforce Ngati Kahu's AIP with the Crown at Kareponia and the Five Iwi Forum's AIP signed by Ngati Kahu prior to their  flouncing of their own agreement by walking out. Three of the Forum have settled with the Crown, Ngati Kuri are about to and again we are left behind. Ko tou ahua koretake noaiho. 

It seems that our Chief Negotiator is looking for another way out of this impasse of her own making. The Crown is ready to continue negotiations on the basis of the Tribunal's recommendations. Unless the mandated group goes back to the table then we are in for another round of  ego tripping and face saving. Ngati Kahu has suffered enough and it's time to recognise how far we have been taken down the garden path to nowhere. 

Firstly, we must as individuals or hapu groups inform the Office Of Treaty Settlements and the Minister that;

- We support the Tribunals recommendations as a basis for going back to the negotiations.

- We are ready to sit at the table either with or without the negotiators to resume negotiations asap.

Na reira me whai matou i tenei kaupapa kia whakaoti te mahi nei i timatangia e nga kaumatua me nga whaea i tautoko te rangatira a Matiu Rata.