Crown signs Social Development Accord with Te Hiku Iwi

The Crown today signed a Social Development Accord with Te Hiku o Te Ika as part of the iwi Treaty Settlement.

Social Development Minister Paula Bennett says this Accord commits the Crown and government agencies to work with Te Hiku to improve social outcomes for the iwi hapū and whanau.

The Ministry of Social Development is the responsible agency for implementing the Accord which was signed by Prime Minister John Key.

“Ten Government agencies will be working alongside Te Hiku to determine what intervention is needed before doing the work together.”

MSD will incorporate this framework into the “State of Te Hiku o Te Ika Social Development and Wellbeing Report” which will identify key trends and areas where intervention is a priority. This report will be updated every five years.

“There is a collective Ministerial responsibility for this Accord and each year Ministers and Te Hiku Iwi will meet at hui,” says Mrs Bennett.

We need to see improvements in educational achievement, workforce participation and employment. We also need to dramatically improve housing and stimulate economic development in the Far North.

“Te Hiku Iwi and the Crown have made a commitment to work on these things together and the Accord is the agreed, shared process of doing that.”

Te Hiku has been on the road to settlement for 27 years and this is an important milestone in that journey.