Drop out of race, Tau urged

Sonny Tau is one of two people who have been nominated for the position of Ngai Tawake hapu kaikorero for Tuhoronuku.

Sonny Tau has been nominated to represent Ngai Tawake in the Ngapuhi Treaty Settlement but one critic says he should remove himself from the race.

Mr Tau is one of two people who have been nominated for the position of Ngai Tawake hapu kaikorero for Tuhoronuku - the group recognised by the Crown as being the mandated authority for the Ngapuhi Treaty Settlement.

He stood aside as Tuhoronuku chairman in June after allegations he had kukupa in his possession at Invercargill Airport on June 16. The iwi said at the time the decision was made in "the interests of Ngapuhi ... and to allow the Tuhoronuku IMA to focus fully on settlement negotiations with the Crown".

Mr Tau was unavailable for comment yesterday but Tuhoronuku hapu kaikorero facilitator Kipa Munro said a role as kaikorero would not distract from the Ngapuhi Treaty negotiations.

"I think as chairman of the board, you're dealing with the whole of Ngapuhi but as hapu kaikorero you're dealing with your own hapu,"

Mr Munro said Mr Tau was previously hapu kaikorero for Ngati Hinemutu, a smaller hapu, but resigned so he could be nominated for the Ngai Tawake position.

But Rudy Taylor, co-chairman of Te Kotahitanga o Nga Hapu Ngapuhi, the group which opposes Tuhoronuku, said it was not right for Mr Tau to accept the nomination, particularly after calls for him to consider quitting other positions.

"Sonny is confused, he doesn't know when to be embarrassed. He should have stepped down and said 'I'm declining these roles'. Ngapuhi needs a leader and a good role model, not someone who has [allegedly] broken the law," Mr Taylor said.

The hapu kaikorero is to be the communications line between hapu, negotiators and Tuhoronuku. An election will be required to elect one for Ngai Tawake. The other nominee is Adrianne Junellie Taungapeau.