Whakatōhea

On 27 May 2023 the Crown and Whakatōhea signed a Deed of Settlement.

 

In this section

Whakatōhea Deed of Settlement Documents

Whakatōhea Deed of Settlement Summary

 

Whakatōhea Deed of Settlement Documents

Deed of Settlement documents

Whakatōhea Deed of Settlement Summary

Overview

The Whakatōhea Deed of Settlement is the final settlement of all the historical Treaty of Waitangi Claims of Whakatōhea resulting from the Crown’s acts and omissions prior to 21 September 1992. The settlement comprises a package that includes:

  • an agreed historical account, Crown acknowledgements and apology
  • financial redress and cultural and commercial funds totalling $100 million (plus interest)
  • cultural redress including the vesting of 33 sites of significance, bespoke natural resource and conservation arrangements and relationship redress
  • commercial redress, including the transfer of 18 Crown properties; the reservation of 5,000 hectares of marine space for aquaculture; the right to purchase a further ten properties within a two-year deferred selection period; and rights of first refusal over Crown land and fisheries quota.

The benefits of the settlement will be available to all Whakatōhea members, regardless of where they live.

Background

Whakatōhea is an iwi with over 16,000 members. It comprises six hapū – Ngāi Tamahaua, Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Ngahere, Ngāti Patumoana, Ngāti Ruatākena and Ūpokorehe, and has an area of interest covering around 200,000 hectares in the eastern Bay of Plenty.

For more information about the Whakatōhea area of interest, see the map on page 3 of ‘Deed of Settlement Summary’ listed in the Whakatōhea Deed of Settlement documents.

Redress

Crown acknowledgements and apology 

The Whakatōhea Deed of Settlement contains Crown acknowledgements and a Crown apology for well-founded breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles. These include:

  • failure to act in good faith by unjustifiably invading and occupying parts of the Whakatōhea rohe
  • failure to return the body of Tio Te Kāhika after he had been killed and desecrated which caused great distress and offence to his whānau and Whakatōhea
  • failure to act in good faith in its treatment and execution Mokomoko, a Whakatōhea rangatira, and the subsequent stigmatisation of Te Whānau a Mokomoko for generations
  • failure to protect Whakatōhea from becoming virtually landless due to the cumulative effect of the Crown’s acts and omissions
  • failure to actively protect Te Reo Māori and encourage its use
  • failure to actively protect Whakatōhea from widespread displacement, causing their subsequent separation from whanaunga, reo and tikanga.
Table A: Geographic name changes
Existing name New official name
Waioeka River Waioweka River
Waioeka Waioweka
Ōpōtiki Harbour (local use name) Pakihikura Harbour
Waioeka Gorge Scenic Reserve Waioweka Gorge Scenic Reserve

 

Questions and answers

What is the total settlement package?

  • Crown acknowledgements and apology for historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi.
  • An agreed historical account of the relationship between Whakatōhea and the Crown.
  • Financial redress and cultural and commercial funds totalling $100 million (plus interest).
  • Cultural redress including the vesting of 33 sites of significance, bespoke natural resource and conservation arrangements and relationship redress.
  • Commercial redress including the transfer of 18 Crown properties; the reservation of 5,000 hectares of marine space for aquaculture; the right to purchase a further ten properties within a two-year deferred selection period; and rights of first refusal over Crown land and fisheries quota.

Is there any private land involved?

No.

Are the public’s rights affected?

Generally, no. Where land is transferred with a reserve classification then the relevant provisions of the Reserves Act, including those concerning public access, will continue to apply. However, any sites transferring in fee simple will become private property and the public will no longer have access.

What are the statutory acknowledgement and deeds of recognition?

A statutory acknowledgement acknowledges areas or sites with which iwi have a special relationship. A statutory acknowledgement will be recognised in any relevant proceedings under the Resource Management Act 1991. These provisions aim to avoid past problems where areas of significance to Māori, such as burial places, were simply cleared or excavated for public works or similar purposes without permission or consultation with iwi. A statutory acknowledgement does not convey a property right and is non-exclusive.

A deed of recognition sets out an agreement between the Minister of Conservation and a claimant group in recognition of its special association with a site and specifies the nature of iwi/hapū input into the management of the site.

What happens to memorials on private titles?

The legislative restrictions (memorials) placed on the title of Crown properties and some former Crown properties now in private ownership will be removed once all Treaty claims in the area have been settled.

When will the settlement take effect?

The settlement will take effect following the enactment of the settlement legislation.

Do Whakatōhea have the right to come back and make further claims about the behaviour of the Crown in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries?

No. When the Deed of Settlement is signed, and settlement legislation is passed, it will be a final and comprehensive settlement of all historical (relating to events before 21 September 1992) Treaty of Waitangi claims of Whakatōhea. The settlement legislation, once passed, will prevent Whakatōhea from re-litigating the claim before the Waitangi Tribunal or the courts.

The settlement will still allow Whakatōhea to pursue claims against the Crown for acts or omissions after 21 September 1992, including claims based on the continued existence of aboriginal title of customary rights. The Crown also retains the right to dispute such claims or the existence of such title rights.

Who benefits from the settlement?

All members of Whakatōhea wherever they may now live.

How will the settlement affect the Wai 1750 North Eastern Bay of Plenty District Inquiry?

In June 2019 the Waitangi Tribunal commenced the North Eastern Bay of Plenty District Inquiry into Whakatōhea claims. Normally, a Treaty settlement would remove the jurisdiction of the Waitangi Tribunal to inquire into settled claims. The Whakatōhea Treaty settlement will not remove this jurisdiction.

The Waitangi Tribunal will retain its ability continue the inquiry and make findings, but not recommendations, on historical claims. The Waitangi Tribunal will retain its full jurisdiction to make findings and recommendations on post-1992 claims, except for claims relating to the settlement.