Treaty of Waitangi: Ngāti Paoa sign $23.5 million deed of settlement

Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little. Photo / Michael Cunningham

By RNZ

It is a historic day for Ngāti Paoa today as they sign their deed of settlement with the Crown.

Descendants and members of the Crown gathered at Wharekawa marae in Whakatīwai, south of Auckland, for the signing.

The iwi will have 12 sites of cultural significance returned and financial and commercial redress valued at $23.5 million.

The Deed of Settlement includes an apology from the Crown to Ngāti Paoa for its failure to protect them from the rapid alienation of land in the decades after the signing of te Tiriti o Waitangi, the loss of life and the devastation caused by hostilities, and the enactment of laws and policies that have led to the loss of whenua and te reo Māori.

"The Crown seeks to atone for these injustices and hopes that through this settlement it can rebuild the relationship that it established with Ngāti Paoa in 1840, begin the process of healing and enter a new age of co-operation and partnership," Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little said.

Ngāti Paoa has more than 3500 members and is part of the Hauraki, Marutūāhu and Tāmaki collectives.

"The Crown acknowledges that until today it has failed to deal with the long-standing grievances of Ngāti Paoa and that recognition of, and redress for, these grievances is long overdue," Little said.

The settlement redress will be administered by the Ngāti Paoa Iwi Trust, the post-settlement governance entity elected by iwi members.

- RNZ