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Ngati Toa Rangatira begins negotiations

Monday 24 September 2007, 10:44PM

By Hon Mark Burton

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The Crown and Ngati Toa Rangatira have formally agreed to enter into negotiations settling the tribe's historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, Treaty Negotiations Minister Hon Mark Burton said today.

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The Crown and Ngati Toa Rangatira have formally agreed to enter into negotiations settling the tribe's historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, Treaty Negotiations Minister Hon Mark Burton said today.

Hon Mark Burton, on behalf of the Crown, and Te Runanga o Ngati Toa Rangatira signed Terms of Negotiation at Parliament on 24 September 2007. Terms of Negotiation set out how the parties will negotiate a durable settlement of all Ngati Toa Rangatira's historical Treaty claims.

In November 2005 the Crown recognised Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira's deed of mandate to represent the iwi in Treaty negotiations. Ngati Toa Rangatira's claim area spans the lower North Island and the top of the South Island. Their claims include the loss of property interests and the extinguishment of customary interests through various Crown actions and omissions. The Crown has acknowledged that its detention of Te Rauparaha without trial for 18 months was a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi.

The Crown recognises that its acts and omissions have contributed to the losses suffered by Ngati Toa Rangatira, and that this was a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles. On this basis, the Minister of Treaty Negotiations has signed Terms of Negotiation.

"This is a significant and positive step forward in the Crown's relationship with Ngati Toa Rangatira. We can now address the grievances of the past and focus on building a stronger future together. I look forward to the work with Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira now progressing to comprehensively resolve the historical grievances of the iwi" Mark Burton said.

The achievement of today's milestone follows other recent achievements toward the government's objective of settling all Treaty claims by 2020 include the release of a draft Agreement in Principle to settle Waikato-Tainui's claims to the Waikato River, the signing of Terms of Negotiation with Turanganui-a-kiwa (Gisborne) iwi, the signing of an Agreement in Principle with Ngati Apa (North Island), and the signing of an Agreement in Principle with Te Rarawa in the far North.