The people of Ngati Mutunga on the Chatham Islands have backed their iwi trust board to represent the tribe in Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations with the Crown.
Mandating hui were held in February and March in Auckland, Waitara, Wellington and Christchurch, with a final meeting two weeks ago on the islands, where iwi members cast their votes.
More than threequarters of those who cast their ballots voted for the Ngati Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi Trust to enter into discussions and agreements with the Crown to reach a comprehensive Treaty settlement.
However, figures released by the trust show only 39.5 percent of eligible voters actually cast their ballots, with 269 voting papers received. The trust says 59.85 percent voted by post or at meetings, while the rest voted online.
The Government said it would work with both the Ngati Mutunga o Wharekauri Trust and the already mandated Hokotehi Moriori Trust to eventually reach a "whole of island settlement" which would take into account all overlapping claims.
Ngati Mutunga o Wharekauri claims its rohe, or tribal territory, includes Rekohu (Chatham Island), Rangiauria (Pitt Island) and Maungahuka (the Auckland Islands) in the Southern Ocean.
