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A group of Maori last night won the right to challenge the Te Arawa Waitangi Treaty settlement in the Supreme Court.
A Supreme Court judgment granted leave to appeal to the Maori Council, the Federation of Maori Authorities and the Tuwharetoa paramount chief Tumu te Heuheu.
The appellants want the Supreme Court to determine if the Crown was in breach of its legal obligations when it entered into the Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa settlement.
After losing in the Court of Appeal, the complainants sought to take their case over the $36 million agreement to the Supreme Court.
Among the issues were the extent to which central North Island forests could be directed to one iwi, and the extent to which Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa represented the entire Arawa tribe.
In June, the Waitangi Tribunal strongly criticised the Government for poor negotiation of the settlement.
It said the crown should have consulted better with groups in Bay of Plenty over claims to areas around Rotorua.
- NZPA
