A Treaty settlement for New Zealand's biggest iwi has taken another step forward with the signing of terms of negotiation by Ngapuhi and the Crown.
This week's signing paves the way for negotiations to begin later this year and for an agreement in principle - a draft settlement that could total hundreds of millions of dollars - to be signed as early as the end of 2016.
The government's settlement plans are, however, stanchly opposed by some wthin Ngapuhi. Some hapu leaders say they weren't told the terms of negotiation were being discussed, and only found out about the signing when media started calling.
Raniera "Sonny" Tau, who chairs both Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi and Tuhoronuku Independent Mandated Authority, called on all Ngapuhi to celebrate this week's settlement milestone.
"It has been a long journey for our people but at last we're ready to get stuck in to negotiating the settlement that will benefit all Ngapuhi. It's 175 years since Ngapuhi signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi, which the Crown began breaching almost immediately, and it's eight years since our kaumatua and kuia directed us to 'get on with our settlement'," he said.