Source: Radio New Zealand
Tukoroirangi Morgan at the Iwi Chairs Forum at Waitangi. RNZ / Ella Stewart
The National Iwi Chairs Forum has filed court proceedings seeking clarification on how the Crown must uphold Treaty of Waitangi settlements as it pushes ahead with major resource management reforms.
The action has been brought by forum member and Waikato Executive Chair Tukoroirangi Morgan, who said iwi leaders have lost confidence that the government understands or intends to protect the integrity of Treaty settlements.
“Treaty of Waitangi settlements are a solemn compact between iwi and hapū and the Crown, giving rise to a series of obligations on the Crown to uphold those settlements with honour and integrity,” Morgan said.
The move comes as the government prepares to introduce replacement Resource Management Act (RMA) legislation before the end of the year.
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said the legislation removes “handbrakes on New Zealanders’ lives,” helping to drive growth and job creation.
“The Resource Management Act has been holding New Zealand back for decades. It has let successive governments and councils say ‘no’ to progress, ‘no’ to development, and ‘no’ to building the houses, infrastructure, clean energy and other important projects that New Zealanders need to get ahead,” Bishop said.
Despite government assuring that they intend to uphold Treaty settlements, the National Iwi Chairs Forum and Morgan said iwi and hapū engagement to date suggests otherwise.
“The Government’s announcements about replacement RMA legislation show that decisions on the new regime have been substantively made, and iwi and hapu are being engaged on our settlements as an afterthought,” Morgan said.
The Forum, which represents over 80 iwi across Aotearoa, argues that Treaty settlements are deeply connected to existing resource management law – meaning any new framework must embed those commitments from the outset.
“The Crown cannot unilaterally change settlements in a manner that diminishes that compact,” Morgan said.
“That will give rise to fresh grievances and the need to re-negotiate all of our compacts. So we are going to Court to seek that confirmation, because this Government is not listening, so it needs to be told.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
