Te Arawa in line for $23m fisheries payout

Te Arawa iwi are to receive more than $20 million as part settlement of their fisheries claim.

Te Kotahitanga o Te Arawa Waka Fisheries Trust, representing 11 Te Arawa iwi, will receive $23.6 million worth of assets and cash within two weeks from Te Ohu Kaimoana.

It has been a year since the first iwi, Ngapuhi, received its share of the settlement and this week Te Ohu Kaimoana announced a further eight iwi organisations, including Te Arawa, had been mandated and allocated $60 million.

The Te Arawa trust was set up in 1993 to look after Te Arawa's interests in Maori commercial fisheries settlements which were decided the previous year.

Trust manager John Merito said it had been a lengthy process for Te Arawa but hapu members were happy with the outcome.

"As the positive news is relayed to Te Arawa living throughout the motu we are receiving congratulatory responses, particularly from the registered members who voted in agreement with Te Arawa moving to mandated iwi organisation status."

- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)