Iwi accuses Government of seeking foreshore revenge

By RUTH BERRY

The Government is expected to make changes to the Maori Fisheries Bill which will strip control of millions of dollars from two of the country's biggest tribes, sparking accusations it is enacting "revenge" for their iwis' foreshore stance.

Te Runanga o Ngapuhi would lose control of tens of millions of dollars worth of assets and would have a similar multimillion-dollar impact on the Hawkes Bay-based Ngati Kahungunu runanga.

The change would see two other groups redefined as iwi in the legislation, enabling them to take control of major fishing assets.

The groups expected to be recognised are Northland-based Ngati Hine and Mahia's Rongomai Wahine.

A parliamentary select committee has been examining the issue as part of its hearings on the bill and is likely to release its report on Friday.

It is expected to recommend that the changes be made to the bill and the Herald understands the Government is likely to rubberstamp them.

The Government's Maori caucus is believed to support the change.

Select committee members cannot discuss the report, which is protected by parliamentary privilege until it is made public.

Fisheries Minister David Benson-Pope refused to discuss the issue for privilege reasons yesterday.

Ngati Hine is the largest distinct group within the Ngapuhi confederation of iwi and hapu and claims to have 50,000 members.

This is nearly half of the 109,000 members the Ngapuhi runanga lists as the beneficiaries of the fishing assets it manages.

The assets are currently leased from the Waitangi Fisheries Commission but will be handed over after the bill is passed.

The Ngapuhi runanga would then gain ownership of over $60 million in assets - a sum which could be almost halved if the change is made.

Ngati Hine has for some years unsuccessfully petitioned the commission to recognise its independence as an iwi.

The Ngapuhi runanga has traditionally had a good relationship with the Government, but its foreshore stance has created tension.

Runanga chairman Sonny Tau's decision to sign a petition on behalf of the runanga calling on its local Maori MP, Dover Samuels, to oppose the foreshore and seabed bill just before the anti-bill hikoi to Parliament particularly angered the MP, a committee member.

Mr Tau has also attended Maori Party events and while he says the runanga would not support any political party, he has warned there is an "unprecedented" swing in support for the new party in Northland.

Ngati Kahungunu chief executive Ngahiwi Tomoana has been heavily critical of the Government's foreshore stance.

As the Maori Party's deputy chairman for Ikaroa-Rawhiti, he is working against the seat-holder, Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia.

Mr Tau could not be reached.

But Mr Tomoana said he could see "no other rational" motive for the move but revenge, if the Government made the changes.

There was "no tikanga or legal precedent" for Rongomai Wahine to be recognised as an iwi and the matter had been stalled in the High Court because of lack of evidence, he said.

Other well-placed sources affected by the issue and who oppose the groups' petitions have also claimed that "utu", or revenge, is at least partly behind the Government's move to recognise their status as iwi.

Lawyer Donna Hall, representing Rongomai Wahine, dismissed the claims, saying, "I would place very little weight on that".

Waitangi Fisheries Commission chairman Shane Jones refused to comment on the utu assertions.

The 'utu' row

Ngapuhi in Northland and Ngati Kahungunu in Hawkes Bay are due to get tens of millions of dollars in fishing assets from the Waitangi Fisheries Commission.

Both have annoyed the Government lately by strongly opposing the foreshore bill and supporting the new Maori Party.

The Government is now expected to recognise the claims of breakaway groups within each iwi - Ngati Hine against Ngapuhi and Rongomai Wahine against Ngati Kahungunu - in its Maori Fisheries Bill.

The recognition of Ngati Hine's claim could cost Ngapuhi about $30 million.