Whai i ngā Whakatau Take Tiriti

Our Treaty Settlement Journey

Status of Ngāti Whakaue Negotiations

2023

2023 – Current

The Refreshed Mandate Strategy and draft Deed of Mandate was approved by Te Arawhiti and lodged in May 2023 on their website for public submissions, closing on 17 July 2023. Several submissions were received concerning the re-mandate strategy:

Four against the draft re-mandate strategy
One generally in support but looking for discussions around overlapping non-settled claims
Two in support of Te Komiti Nui

Before proceeding with the series of refreshed mandate hui, officials and TKN made several attempts to clarify issues from those submitters against the draft documents. 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’. Check the Mandate page to see 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.

2016

2016 – 2022

From late 2016 to early 2022 with a new strategy and approach, the Trustees made several attempts to re-engage with the Crown. Unfortunately, even with the change in government in 2018 the Crown remained unwilling to engage.

With a change in TKN leadership (May 2022) TKN wrote to the Minister for Treaty Negotiations in July 2022, requesting he direct his officials to commence a process for re-engagement with Ngāti Whakaue.

The Minister included in his response that Te Komiti Nui o Ngāti Whakaue seek a refreshed mandate given the time lapse from 2016 to 2022.

At a meeting with officials in late December 2022 the parties agreed to undertake a process to refresh its mandate, following the same line as what was undertaken in 2009.

2014

2014 – 2016

Following negotiations between 2014 and 2016, it became apparent the expectations of the Crown and the settlement aspirations of Ngāti Whakaue were too far apart. The Crown stated its position for settlement with Ngāti Whakaue in May 2016.

The then Negotiators and Board of Trustees agreed the Crown’s position for settlement with Ngāti Whakaue did not go far enough to settle Ngāti Whakaue’s extant historical claims and called a Ngāti Whakaue Registered Voting hui.

At the Ngāti Whakaue Registered Voting hui on 4 September 2016, a resolution was proposed to either accept or reject the Crown’s position.

At this hui, whānau voted to reject the Crown’s settlement position with Ngāti Whakaue. Consequently, Ngāti Whakaue’s settlement negotiations have been removed from the Office of Treaty Settlements’ (Te Arawhiti) active negotiations work programme since September 2016.

2009

2009 - 2010

The Crown confirmed Ngāti Whakaue as a Large Natural Grouping for the purpose of treaty settlement negotiations on the 30 January 2009 ie: Ngāti Whakaue ki Uta Ngāti Whakaue ki Tai, in particular descendants of or Uri o Tūtānekai and the 6 Koromātua o Ngāti Whakaue. Te Komiti Nui o Ngāti Whakaue (the Trust) was formalised by way of resolution at a hui-a-iwi of Ngāti Whakaue held in Tamatekapua whare tupuna, Ōhinemutu on Sunday 19 April 2009. Te Komiti Nui o Ngāti Whakaue is constituted under or by way of a private or common law trust as the representative and mandated group which Ngāti Whakaue may treat and engage with the Crown, in the negotiation, resolution and settlement of their outstanding Treaty claims Clause E of the Deed of Trust adopted on the 19 April 2009. Te Komiti Nui o Ngāti Whakaue received its mandate from the people following a series of hui held in Auckland 18 June 2009, Hamilton 19 June 2009, Rotorua 20 June 2009 and Maketū 21 June 2009, subsequently recognised by the Ministers for Treaty Negotiations and Minister for Māori Development in 2010, by way of letter, to engage in negotiations with the Crown.