What is a Mandate?
A mandate is when a claimant group, such as Ngāti Whakaue, gives a representative body, in this case, Te Komiti Nui o Ngāti Whakaue, the authority to engage and enter into negotiations with the Crown on their behalf.
In July 2024 TKN proceeded to organise the four refresh mandate hui.
At each of the hui we had an independent observer from Te Puni Kōkiri to ensure the hui were run openly, transparently and with respect for those in attendance, who shared their kōrero – for or against – before the vote was taken.
The resolution that was voted on; ‘that Te Komiti Nui o Ngāti Whakaue has a fresh mandate to re-enter negotiations with the Crown to secure a comprehensive settlement of all Ngāti Whakaue extant historical TOW claims’. See table below for results.
Ngāti Whakaue were able to make a submission on the results of the voting hui via the Te Tari Whakatau website, which closed on 17 July 2024.
The Minister for Treaty Negotiations and Maori Development endorsed Te Komiti Nui mandate by letter dated 1 April 2025.
A condition requires TKN to make every effort to reconcile with the Rūnanga and the marae trustees of Maketū, that should include:
- Making every effort to meet with the Rūnanga and the marae trustees at least once a month;
- Report back to the Crown on those meetings and
- Agree to facilitation if we are not able to make progress with the Rūnanga and marae trustees independently.
This is a work in progress.
Mandate Hui Outcomes
We’re thrilled to share the outcomes of our Mandating Hui held in Auckland, Hamilton, Maketū, Rotorua and online. A heartfelt thank you to all Ngāti Whakaue whānau who joined us, both online and in person and contributed their valuable whakaaro.
Special acknowledgements to the claimants who stood in support of Te Komiti Nui to lead negotiations and settlement. Your endorsement is truly appreciated.
The results of the voting are below:
Auckland 22 July 2024
VOTING
Registrations
55
Votes for
22
Votes against
19
Did not vote
14
% of votes
53.7%
Hamilton 23 July 2024
VOTING
Registrations
22
Votes for
9
Votes against
1
Did not vote or
voted in AK
10
% of votes
90%
Maketū 25 July 2024
VOTING
Registrations
141
Votes for
54
Votes against
47
Did not vote or
voted in AK or HN
40
% of votes
53.3%
Rotorua 27 July 2024
VOTING
Registrations
133
Votes for
95
Votes against
8
Did not vote
2 Abstentions
30
92.2
% of votes
Live-Stream
VOTING
Registrations
Up to 120 but not
for duration of hui
Votes for
59
Votes against
14
Abstentions
% of votes
80.8%
Totals
VOTING
Registrations
424
Votes for
239
Votes against
89
Abstention
3
% of votes
72.9%
Mandate Submission Responses
The following written submissions were also received:
- 65 submissions in total
- 50 submissions via Citizen Space
- 15 submissions via email
- 52 supported Komiti Nui and 13 opposed
While TKN awaits the outcome of the Crown process for a fresh mandate, from the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations, our priority was to meet and confirm with claimants their expectations are what they shared in 2012 and again in 2019/20. TKN’s overarching principle approach to settlement negotiations is inclusivity.
Limits of the Mandate
The mandate only gives the representative body the authority to negotiate a draft Agreement in Principle (AIP) and a draft Deed of Settlement (DOS).
The draft Agreement in Principle is the stepping stone to a draft Deed of Settlement which will provide Ngāti Whakaue its formal apology from the Crown, both our cultural and financial redress and also legislative provisions. The AIP sets out what Ngāti Whakaue will be negotiating for settlement that could be incorporated into a contract or draft Deed of Settlement.
Once satisfied with the draft AIP and draft DOS Te Komiti Nui will present both documents to Ngāti Whakaue. You will be asked to:
- approve that Ngāti Whakaue historical claims will be settled; and
- accept the draft Deed of Settlement and the proposed post settlement governance entity to receive the settlement assets.
For this reason, your participation is very important.
If the draft DOS is broadly accepted by members of Ngāti Whakaue, a signing and formal apology ceremony will be organised with the Crown.
