Call for Ngāpuhi leadership change over stalled Treaty settlement

An earlier protest, in 2014, against a decision to recognise Tuhoronuku as the mandated body to negotiate Ngāpuhi's Treaty settlement. Photo / File

A hīkoi calling for a change of leadership in Ngāpuhi is being held in Kaikohe on Monday.

The hīkoi, or march, is being organised by a group called Ngāpuhi Taniwharau, or the 100 Taniwha of Ngāpuhi.

It will start at the RSA at the top of Broadway at 10am and make its way to the offices of Te Rūnanga-ā-iwi o Ngāpuhi on Mangakahia Rd.

The hīkoi was supposed to coincide with a six-weekly rūnanga (tribal council) board meeting at the tribe's Mangakahia Rd headquarters but that meeting is now taking place at law firm Chapman Tripp's offices in Auckland.

Ngāpuhi Taniwharau claims the meeting was shifted to avoid the protest. That is denied, however, by the rūnanga.

A spokeswoman for the group, Kerikeri-based lawyer Moana Tuwhare, said the leadership of Ngāpuhi needed to change.

''Under the current leadership nothing in Ngāpuhi has improved for our people, things have got worse. We demand better outcomes and accountabilities."

Specific concerns included the small proportion of rūnanga profit that trickled down to the people each year and the lack of progress in reaching a Treaty settlement.

''They have spent the best part of 10 years and millions of dollars getting nowhere. Questions have to be asked why.''

Another spokeswoman, Sharon Kaipo, said: ''The current Tuhoronuku (Treaty settlement body) and rūnanga leadership have rocked our whare tapu (sacred house) to its foundations and it continues to crumble under their approach which has caused widespread division and discontent.''

In a statement rūnanga chairman Raniera Tau said peaceful protest was a vital part of democratic society, but balance was needed between the right to protest and the right to go about one's lawful business without disruption to one's place of work.

The group was offered a chance to share its concerns with the board at last month's meeting.

''We are aware that some want a change of leadership. There is a democratic, open and transparent process to enable that, as outlined in the our trust deed. Anyone of Ngāpuhi descent may put their names forward for consideration,'' Tau said.

The decision to hold this month's board meeting in Auckland was based on the business at hand and he said it was unhelpful to assume it had been moved for any other reason.

The rūnanga was currently working on an option for a post-settlement governance entity (PSGE), which could distribute the funds from a future Treaty settlement.

With the matter of who holds the mandate to settle of behalf of the tribe still not resolved, Tuwhare said that was a case of ''putting the cart well before the horse'' — but Tau said not offering a PSGE option to Ngāpuhi would be an abdication of the rūnanga's responsibilities.

''Ngāpuhi will be consulted, and ultimately make the final decision to ratify or otherwise,'' he said.

Meanwhile the rūnanga's board of trustees was resolute that it was fit to continue leading Ngāpuhi, Tau said. Even without a settlement its assets had grown from $53 million in 2016 to $56m last year.

Plans for the hīkoi coincide with renewed pressure on Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little by some hapū, in particular Ngāti Hine and the Taiamai-Te Waimate grouping, over a lack of progress in the deadlocked settlement.

The ''100 taniwha'' in the name Ngāpuhi Taniwharau refers to the leaders of Ngāpuhi's roughly 110 hapū.