February 11, 2013
Treaty cash encourages soul searching
Hauraki-Waikato MP Nanaia Mahuta says the prospect of a $70 million top up on its treaty settlement is encouraging Tainui to address some of its social issues.
The tribe is consulting with members on how it should handle the relativity payment, which is negotiated to ensure the 1996 Raupatu Settlement stays at 17 percent of the total the Crown pays out for historic claims.
Ms Mahuta says it's encouraging as well as soul searching.
“People are pretty sure now that we’re not just a tribe that makes money. We need to look after the well-being of our people. We’ve got far too many kids in care, we’ve got far too many suffering at the hands of domestic violence and we don’t have enough of our young people in education or real employment opportunities. Those are the key issues and they arose out of the hui a iwi as well”.
Nanaia Mahuta says last week's hui-ā-iwi showed there is a mood to address the parts of Tainui's cumbersome governance structure that aren't working.
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