June 22, 2017
Ngapuhi stand off unhelpful
Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says he sees no sense in Te Kotahitanga’s refusal to talk to its rival in the Ngapuhi claim settlement process.
The group says it won’t engage with the mandated negotiating body Tuhoronuku as long as Ngapuhi Runanga chair Sonny Tau is part of it, because of his conviction for shooting kereru.
Instead it wants the Waitangi Tribunal to audit the crown’s tactics, in particular Prime Minister Bill English’s decision to suspend attempts to negotiate until after the election to give the parties time to sort out their differences.
Mr Flavell says nothing happens unless people keep talking.
"The Prime Minister has said that he wants to leave the settlement that's sitting there, on the table but he's not going to engage because the crown gets whacked around for putting their sticky finger into the whole mix. Well he's pulled out and left it to them and then they can work out who represents them and whose going to speak for them and until they sort that sort of stuff out nothing moves. And that's the tragedy because there's so many people in Te Taitokerau who could benefit from the outcomes of a settlement," he says.
Te Ururoa Flavell says he has met informally with the main figures in the dispute to urge them to get back to the table.
Mr Tau says there is only a small gap between the Tuhoronuku and Kotahitanga positions on the way ahead, and Tuhoronuku is still willing to sit down and talk through those three issues.
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