The Treaty Negotiations Minister is confident in a new model to move the Ngāpuhi Treaty settlement forward, despite at least eight hapū rejecting it.
Andrew Little said six weeks was plenty of time for Ngāpuhi to be well-informed about the proposed model. Photo: Supplied
The model would involve the Crown negotiating cultural redress for Treaty breaches with six regional hapū groupings, while the commercial redress would be negotiated with one group and the settlement held by a single entity.
Ngāpuhi has six weeks to vote for the proposed model.
Andrew Little said six weeks is plenty of time for the people of Ngāpuhi to be well-informed about the proposed model.
"There'll be information hui, so it'll be a fourth round of hui, that'll be to explain what the final Crown proposal looks like, so the final arrangements will be explained, as will be the process for voting so that people can make an informed vote."
But hapū leader in the far North said the people of Ngāpuhi needed more time to vote on the new settlement model proposed by the Crown.
But Huhana Lyndon, a representative from Whangārei hapū, said most people in Ngāpuhi would be making a vote based on very little information.
"The bulk of Ngāpuhi are not engaged, so are we going to be resourced to be able to connect with our people? I don't think so we've only got six weeks to do so, it does no harm to wait until next year, allow us the Christmas break to go over this."
