Media Release - March 2024 - FINAL

PĀNUI PĀPĀHO | MEDIA RELEASE

2 March 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Te Korowai o Ngāruahine Trust - Duty-bound to Challenge Te Korowai o Ngāruahine Trust (Te Korowai) remains resolute in its responsibility to advocate for and protect the interests of Ngāruahine. As the Post Settlement Governance Entity for Ngāruahine Iwi (South Taranaki), Te Korowai maintains a steadfast commitment to managing and nurturing the Ngāruahine treaty settlement assets for the collective benefit of Ngāruahine uri - whānau, hapū, and Iwi. Te Korowai operates independently of any political affiliations, prioritising collaboration with all branches of government to advance the interests of Ngāruahine. Conversely, Te Korowai is duty-bound to challenge any policies or initiatives that may pose conflicts with the welfare and rights of Ngāruahine.

On 15 January 2024, Te Korowai released a Position Statement outlining its stance on the policy agenda proposed by the new coalition government. In addition to the Position Statement, Te Korowai announces the following tactical responses to the proposed policy agenda:

Demonstrating Te Reo Māori demand within government: Te Korowai will reaffirm its dedication to Te Reo Māori by advocating its increased usage within government engagement. This challenge is to encourage Te Korowai Board, kaimahi, and all uri to reclaim and use their reo.

“Ring up IRD or ACC, tukuna te reo kia rere” says Te Korowai Pouwhakarae (Chair), Emma Gardiner. “If all our speakers across the motu utilised Te Reo Māori in their engagement with government, this will demonstrate demand for Te Reo Māori services in real terms and cause resourcing pressure on the overall government policy agenda”.

“E panaia ana ēnei pire e te Kāwana, kia tere toka ai ki te ture” Gardiner continues “He hui kei te haere e pā ana ki ēnei pire, ki ēnei rautaki hoki – mā te reo e werongia te mīhini nei“.

Te Tiriti related agenda including the principles review: Te Korowai will actively engage in collaborative efforts with the National Iwi Chairs Forum to address key issues, seeking clarity on Te Tiriti-related matters in international forums, and adapting communication and advocacy strategies to better represent Ngāruahine interests.

Te Aorangi Dillon, Te Korowai Tumu Whakarae stated, “ko te mate o tēnei Kāwanatanga, ko te whāiti o te whakaaro. Kei te patu rātou i te ara tāpokopoko a Pōtoru i tēnei wā. Kua kite kē mātou i ngā hui kua tū i te motu, ā, nō roto kē o Ngāruahine. Kāhore a Ngāruahine, te iwi Māori, me te nuinga o ngā tāngata o Aotearoa hoki, kāhore mātou katoa e tautoko ana i tēnei kaupapa, te raweke o Te Tiriti o Waitangi me ngā kaupapa pēnā ai.”

“Kua rite a Te Korowai o Ngāruahine, ka kōkiri tonu i ngā mahi kei roto i te kāinga. Ka tautoko tonu i ngā wawata o ngā hapū me ngā marae. Kāhore mātou i te noho noa iho me te tangi – e kāo! Kua whakatakoto te manuka ki te Kāwanatanga, kua kōrero ki Tama Pōtaka me tāna ohu, kei te mōhio rātou, kāhore mātou i te tautoko i ēnei pire nā reira, kei a rātou te kōwhiringa - ka taea e rātou te tīni a rātou whakaaro me te tautoko pū i a mātou, ka taea rānei, te haere tonu mā runga tēnei ara tāpokopoko e whāia nei e rātou. Ko te āhua nei, he pai ake ki a rātou, tēnei ara, te ara e whai hua ana mā wai? Mā te hunga whairawa kē. He hunga iti nei e hoa mā, ko te nuinga o taua hunga, he kaikiri, ā he kakī whero. Ka aroha tonu te Kāwanatanga ki a rātou. Ko te tumanako ka puta rātou i tēnei tai mōnenehu, ki te tai ora mō te tāngata me ngā uri whakaheke”

Local Government, Māori Wards, and Co-Governance: Te Korowai will offer advice to membership groups regarding local government, Māori wards, and co-governance structures, while also adjusting communication and advocacy strategies to tackle local governance issues effectively. Te Korowai continues to support Māori voices at the local governance level. This is not a new thing.

Fast-track consenting Bill: Te Korowai is taking proactive steps concerning the fast-track Bill by escalating concerns formally with the government and sharing advice with other Iwi to strengthen and support their submissions. Additionally, Te Korowai will review the draft Bill upon release and review Waitangi Tribunal options as part of the wider Waitangi Tribunal policy.

“We are concerned that ‘fast-tracking’ will be achieved by removing environmental protection mechanisms, compromising Marine and Costal Area customary interests, limiting consultation with Iwi and the community” says Gardiner. “We can all agree that there are improvements to be made in resource management, however, when we remove these protection and consultation components to truncate the process and not address the system inefficiencies – it’s just lazy pen pushing and all of Aotearoa should be worried”.

Dillon concluded with this in regard to the direction of the current government, “Kia whakaaro ake rātou, kia hiki a rātou tōiriiri. I tēnei wā, ko tā rātou mahi, ko te pēhi tonu i a mātou, hika mā! Te aukati o Te Aka Whai Ora – ehara i te mea ko Te Aka Whai Ora te tino aronga, ko te whātuturi ki ngā tatauranga Māori mō te hauora te raru, ko te whakaiti i te iwi Māori te raru.

Kei te whakaatu mai a rātou ringa aroha kore. Kāhore he whakaaro tangongitanga tā rātou, koirā te take e pēnei ai ā rātou mahi. Ka aroha hoki”.

Te Korowai released its letter to Minister Chris Bishop dated 12 February 2024, outlining its stance on the proposed Bill.

ENDS

For media enquiries contact Janine Maruera janine@ngaruahine.iwi.nz 027 829 4751