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FROM THE ASSOCIATE MINISTER OF MÄORI AFFAIRSA NEW DAWN FOR NGÄTI RANGINUIIn a signing ceremony described by local media as “electric with emotion”, NgätiRanginui iwi members settled their historical Te Tiriti o Waitangi claim with theCrown at Pyes Pä on 21 June 2012. As well as marking 148 years to the day sincethe Battle of Te Ranga, the date coincided with the first day of Matariki.Kaumätua Kihi Ngatai acknowledges Hon Christopher Finlaysonwith a hongi. Photo credit: Bay of Plenty Times.Hon Christopher FinlaysonOne of the responsibilities delegated to me as AssociateMinister of Mäori Affairs is the review and reform of Te TuriWhenua Mäori Act 1993.There are 1.4 million hectares of Mäori land in New Zealand,which is around 5 per cent of all land in New Zealand. I seeits potential as an economic powerhouse for Mäori.However, with 70 per cent of Mäori land titles having noformal management structure, and an increasing amountof this land being held by absentee owners, much of thispotentially profitable land sits unproductive. A reportin March 2011 by the then Ministry of Agriculture andFisheries estimated up to 80 per cent of Mäori land wasunder-performing for its owners.If these problems can be addressed, the benefits to Mäoricould be huge.That is why I have commissioned a panel of experts toreview the Act. The panel is made up of Matanuku Mahuikaas Chair, Tokorangi Kapea, Patsy Reddy and Dion Tuuta.“Now we are looking at a new future,” said Antoine Coffin, the Chair of TeRöpu Whakamana o Ngäti Ranginui.The first Tauranga Moana Iwi to ratify their deed of settlement, the Ngä Hapüo Ngäti Ranginui settlement includes financial redress of $38 million, thereturn of 51 properties and 34 culturally significant sites.“The Crown makes this apology to Ngäti Te Wai, Pirirakau, Ngäti Taka, theWairoa hapü of Ngäti Rangi, Ngäti Pango, Ngäti Kahu, Ngäti Hangarau, NgäiTamarawaho, Ngäi Te Ahi and Ngäti Ruahine, the hapü of Ngäti Ranginui, toyour tüpuna and to your descendants,” said Minister for Treaty of WaitangiNegotiations, Hon Christopher Finlayson.“The Crown unreservedly apologises for not having honoured its obligationsto the hapü of Ngäti Ranginui under the Treaty of Waitangi, and profoundlyregrets its failure to appropriately acknowledge the mana and rangatiratangaof Ngäti Ranginui for many generations.”Te Puni Kökiri Chief Executive Leith Comer says the gathering at Te Rangawas an opportunity to further strengthen the good relationships that hadbeen forged between Ngä Hapü o Ngäti Ranginui and the Crown during thesettlement process.NgäHapü oNgätiRRangangininui meetreprepresensentattativeives soof theCrownat Te Ranga,aheadad of the histostoricsignigning ng of their deeedof fsettettlement.I have indicated to them that I do not expect to merelytinker with the existing legislation. That legislation isfailing Mäori land owners and a superficial fix-up will notsuffice. I want fundamental change. The panel will returnto first principles and come up with what I hope will be aninnovative and bold proposal.The partnership created between Mäori and the Crown inthe Treaty has not been without strain. But the progressbeing made in repairing and revitalising this relationshipin recent years is something the Government takes veryseriously. Change is needed. But we recognise how hard itis to make progress when the whenua that represents thebiggest cultural and economic asset available to Mäori istied up by cumbersome legislation.22TE PUNI KÖKIRI | KÖKIRI | KÖANGA / SPRING 2012