Tuhoe opts for risky stance over Waitangi claim

Tuhoe people will today get their first look at an offer to settle their Treaty of Waitangi claims.

But there are tight parameters the tribe's mandated negotiator, Te Kotahi a Tuhoe, is operating under including gaining ownership of the 212,672ha Te Urewera National Park, and some form of mana motuhake or autonomy. Ownership and self-determination are issues that no other iwi have been so set on.

It is understood that Cabinet met yesterday to confirm an initial offer to put to Te Kotahi a Tuhoe - however Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson would not comment.

Lead negotiator Tamati Kruger said a delegation would travel to Wellington for a briefing today.

Although the offer was only an opening position it was "crucial" as the Government will give the broad outlines of whether it can find solutions in what is likely to be one of the most unique Treaty settlements in history, because of the tribe's bottom lines, Mr Kruger said.

"We will be able to measure the distance between Tuhoe and the Crown and that will either give us grief or hope. Tuhoe has not given itself a fall-back position. It's a risky thing because it places you in an all-in or all-out situation.

"If the Crown offer is not even close to where we think it is then it means Tuhoe can look forward to years and years of negotiation. We don't want that but it could be the end result."

Tuhoe communities will get a first look at the deal tomorrow evening, with a decision made on whether to carry on with the negotiations at the weekend.

"Either our negotiators will be in for an ass-whipping or they can have another bottle of water and gear up for the next round," Mr Kruger said.

However, an internal Tuhoe mandating dispute yesterday saw part of Galatea Rd, which runs between Murupara and Whakatane, blocked by protesters who don't want Te Kotahi a Tuhoe to represent them in Crown negotiations.

It started at midnight on Sunday near Waiohau and ended at about 2pm yesterday. A milk tanker got caught up in the protest at 5am when it came across the a small group of protesters who had blocked the road with a horse-float.

Ngati Haka Patuheuheu said it had withdrawn its support from Te Kotahi a Tuhoe a year ago but continued to be frustrated the Crown continued to deal with the group.