July 2008 Panui
9 July 2008
Tena koutou katoa
Governance Entity
The final hui to confirm key components on 14 June 2008 was very successful. Approximately 30 people attended the hui at Kahungunu Marae to decide on the final Governance Entity Proposal to go to a postal ballot and there was plenty of discussion on each of the issues to be put to the postal ballot.
Following the hui the postal ballot to approve the Governance Entity was held, and voting has now closed. All of those whanau who had been entered on the Membership roll before voting opened were sent voting packs. Te Puni Kokiri acted as the Returning Office to ensure that the vote was independent.
The Section 30 Representatives are now pleased to announce that Ngati Pahauwera have approved the establishment of a new Governance Entity fully accountable to Ngati Pahauwera to represent Ngati Pahauwera in Treaty settlement negotiations, which can receive settlement assets, enter into joint ventures, joint management arrangements (or other commercial ventures) and ensure continuity.
The Governance Entity is made up of two Trusts: the Ngati Pahauwera Development Trust and Ngati Pahauwera Tiaki Trust and we are now seeking nominations for 4 Trustees who will sit with the three active Section 30 Representatives as the initial Trustees of both Trusts.
You can access the nomination form by clicking on this link: Ngati Pahauwera Trustee Nomination Form (compatible with Word 97-2003)
Please send in your completed nomination form to Marie Moses, 3391 State Highway 2, RD4, Raupunga 4189. Nominations close 24 July 2008.
Registrations are still coming in for the membership roll and we are working hard to enter these on the membership roll. If you have not yet registered, please do so and make sure all of your whanau are also registered, and you will be able to vote in upcoming postal ballots.
Negotiations update
As set out in our last newsletter, we have been meeting with the Crown every fortnight, and have been discussing a number of issues including the Rivers, Mohaka Forest, Rawhiti Station, Department of Conservation and other Crown owned lands in which Ngati Pahauwera has an interest. We will be meeting with the Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi negotiations, Michael Cullen in late July to discuss Quantum.
Quantum is the dollar value of the settlement as calculated by Treasury. From the quantum commercial assets (such as the Mohaka Forest) are purchased and any figure left over is returned as cash. Although there are important types of redress outside the quantum, it is very important that the quantum is as high as possible in order to allow Ngati Pahauwera to develop its economic base, so that Ngati Pahauwera can start investing in its own social development, through health, education, housing and/or superannuation schemes for our whanau.
We are working on our submission to the Minister so that we can argue for a good Quantum offer for Ngati Pahauwera.
We also met with representatives of Pan Pac who currently run Mohaka Forest and Whirinaki Pulp and Paper Mill to find out more about the Forest, but also to get to know the people we may be working with in the future as the Crown has already agreed that the return of Mohaka Forest is a priority subject for negotiations.
Release of Assessment of Dam Research
As you will be aware the Mohaka River Dam proposal is not proceeding any further at this stage. However Bill Hodges has completed a useful review of all of the research which was completed for the Dam proposal, which raises a number of further questions which are important for everyone interested in our river, its resources and our history. Copies of the Dam proposal are available upon request to our project manager (see below), and we hope to invite some of the experts who completed research for Meridian to come to Mohaka to answer questions in the near future.
Project Manager
Because Toro Waaka is busy working as a negotiator, we have decided to employ Marie Moses from Mohaka to be our Project Manager. Marie will be co-ordinating update hui, arranging travel for the negotiators, distributing documents and co-ordinating upcoming postal ballots. Therefore if you need copies of any documents or have any questions please contact Marie on 06 837 6818.
Update Hui
Our next hui to update whanau on negotiations will be held on 2 August 2008, followed by a further wananga to discuss the definition of Ngati Pahauwera. We will confirm the venue and time for this hui shortly.
Please also keep checking the website http://www.ngatipahauwera.co.nz/ regularly for updates and copies of documents, the calendar of meetings and deadlines can be accessed by clicking on this link: Ngati Pahauwera Calendar of Meetings and Deadlines
