Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-Ō-Ngāpuhi are throwing their support behind legal action started by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu to block attempts by the Māori Fisheries Settlement Trust to change the way surplus funds are distributed.
Allocations now distribute benefits on a population basis, but planned amendments to the act would allow funds to be distributed equally among iwi.
How the allocations are decided now came to fruition in 2016, thanks to a special general meeting at Te Ohu Kaimoana where a motion was passed in favour of distributing the surplus to each of the 58 mandated iwi organisations.
![Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-Ō-Ngāpuhi board chairman Wane Wharerau.](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/JOSJMXNSFS6M25ZCBNZTGDQ3JM.jpg?auth=4cc2cc348a93ab3244dd1c4d1dafe87108e8bb7ce4ffce895f22ebb78a32de34&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
“What that then meant for Ngāpuhi, in terms of, let’s say, a $100 million surplus held by Te Ohu Kaimoana - we would miss out by $17 million,” Ngāpuhi chairman Wane Wharerau says.