Whakatōhea’s Treaty Settlement Bill gets first reading in Parliament

Whakatōhea signed a deed of Settlement with the Crown in May. Photo / Te Whakatōhea

The Whakatōhea have marked a significant milestone towards reconciliation and justice, with their Treaty Settlement Bill receiving its inaugural reading in the halls of Parliament yesterday.

Te Whakatōhea representatives, government officials and dignitaries gathered to witness a pivotal moment in the history of the iwi.

Chairperson of post-settlement governance entity Te Tāwharau o Te Whakatōhea Vaughan Payne said it was significant to be in parliament 158 years after the Crown waged war on Te Whakatōhea, in what the Waitangi Tribunal found to be “among the worst Treaty breaches in this country’s history”.

“Getting here today has been a very long struggle. The struggle started over 100 years ago when our tīpuna commenced the first of numerous petitions to Parliament seeking inquiries into the wrongs inflicted on us,” Payne said.

“I acknowledge those who are no longer physically with us. Those who suffered and sought justice for the atrocities inflicted by the Crown on our whānau, hapū and iwi over the past 150 years. We are thinking of you, you are in our hearts.”

Whakatōhea signed a deed of Settlement with the Crown on May 27, 2023. Photo / Te Whakatōhea

A bus and a van filled with pakeke and rangatahi embarked on a 10-hour journey from Ōpōtiki to Wellington.

More than 100 whānau members of Te Whakatōhea made the journey to sit in the parliamentary gallery, bearing witness to the inaugural legislative moment.

The deed of settlement includes financial redress of $100 million, 5000ha of marine space reserved exclusively for Te Whakatōhea, the transfer of 33 sites as cultural redress, 51 sites as commercial redress, relationship agreements with various Crown agencies, first right to buy Crown lands in the future and recognition by the Crown of the Treaty breaches, and a formal apology for those breaches.

“We look forward to a future where Whakatōhea can return to prosperity and moving together in a spirit of good faith and partnership. We look forward to the Crown rebuilding and honouring the trust that our rangatira had they signed Te Tiriti o Ōpōtiki, 183 years ago,” Payne said.