Source: New Zealand Government
The Crown is taking a new approach to takutai moana applications to give all applicants an opportunity to engage with the Crown and better support the Māori-Crown relationship, Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little says.
Following discussions with applicant groups, the Crown has reviewed the existing takutai moana application process and seeks to do more to assist applicants pursuing recognition of customary interests.
“At the pace we’ve been going, it would take approximately 100-years to fully determine all applications. That is clearly unacceptable. The new approach seeks to engage all 387 applications within a quarter of this timeframe,” Andrew Little said.
“The new Takutai Moana Crown Engagement Strategy is a result of listening to applicant feedback that one-by-one engagement is too slow for the volume and complexity of applications that need to be decided. Under the new strategy the Crown will engage with all iwi, hapū, and whānau groups across 20 coastal areas to timeframes informed by applicants.”
The new strategy aims to achieve fair, transparent, and timely determination of applications for recognition of customary marine title and protected customary rights or activities under the takutai moana legislation.
Where the continued existence of customary interests is established by the evidence, they can be recognised by the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations or the High Court and given legal effect.
“Engagement will be collaborative and focus on building an understanding of the relevant tikanga, preparing the historical research and evidence needed to meet the legal tests for recognition, and on working through shared or overlapping interests” Andrew Little said.
“A number of applicants have applied through both pathways, but the choice of pathway should not advantage or disadvantage any group. The two pathways need to align better in terms of support for applicants and the work that needs to be done. The Crown needs to work with applicants in good faith, in a way that builds strong relationships.”
Crown engagement will start over the coming months.
ENDS
Kei te whakatere te Karauna i te whai wāhitanga a ngā kaitono takutai moana
Kei te whakahou te Karauna i tāna whakahaere i ngā tono takutai moana kia whai wāhi atu ai ngā kaitono katoa ki te mahi tahi ki te Karauna me te taunaki hoki i te tūhononga Māori-Karauna, hei tā te Minita mō ngā take Tiriti a Andrew Little.
I muri mai i ngā whakawhitinga kōrero ki ngā rōpū kaitono, kua arotakengia e te Karauna te tukanga tono takutai moana, ā, e whāia ana kia nui anō te āwhina i ngā kaitono e aru ana, kia whakamanahia ngā pānga heke iho.
“I te āhua e haere nei tātou, kei te takiwā o te 100 tau te roa e whakatauhia ai ngā tono katoa. Kāore rawa tērā i te tika. Ko tā te tukanga hou e whai nei, kia whai wāhi atu te katoa o ngā kaitono e 387, i roto i te hauwhā o tēnei angawā,” te kī a Andrew Little.
“I hua mai te Takutai Moana Crown Engagement Strategy hou i te whakarongotanga atu i ngā urupare a ngā kaitono mō te pōturi o te mahi takitahi i ō te rahi me te matatini o ngā tono me whakatau. I raro i te rautaki hou ka mahi tahi te Karauna ki ngā iwi, ngā hapū me ngā whānau hoki i ngā rohenga takutai moana e 20, ka mutu ka whai i te angawā kua kōrerohia e ngā kaitono.”
Ko te whai a te rautaki hou, he whakatau i ngā tono i runga i te tika, i te mārama me te arotau wawe i ngā tono whakamana i ngā tika papatipu ā-tai me ngā tika tuku iho e manaakitia ana, i ngā mahi rānei i raro i te ture takutai moana.
Ina whakatauhia ana ngā pānga tuku iho ki roto i ngā taunakitanga, ka taea te whakamana, te whakature rānei e te Minita mō ngā take Tiriti, e te Kōti Teitei rānei.
“Ko te whai wāhi atu he mahi ngātahi e aro ana ki te whakakaha i te mārama i ngā tikanga e hāngai ana, te whakarite i ngā rangahau hītoria me ngā taunakitanga e hiahiatia ana kia tutuki ai ngā aromatawai ture e mana ai ngā tikanga, ka mutu he taunaki i ngā take e pāngia nuitia ana” hei tā Andrew Little.
“Kua tonoa kētia e ētahi kaitono ēnei ara e rua, heoi anō, ehara i te mea ka hikitia rānei te hunga kaitono e tētahi ara. Ko te mea kē kia hāngai ake ngā ara e rua hei tautoko i ngā kaitono me ngā mahi hei whakaoti. Me mahi tahi te Karauna ki ngā kaitono i runga i te ngākau tika e kaha ai ngā hononga.”
Hei ngā marama tata nei tīmata ai te whai wāhitanga a te Karauna.
KA MUTU
