Whakatōhea Pre-Settlement Claims Trust (WPSCT) has continued to progress negotiations with the Crown in an effort to initial a Deed of Settlement and push forward with ratification DESPITE on-going objections by Claimants’ representative of Ngāi Tamahaua, Te Upokorehe, Ngāti Ira, Ngāti Patu and Ngāti Rua resulting in two Waitangi Tribunal Urgency Hearings, a mandate inquiry into WPSCT by the Waitangi Tribunal and fractured relationships within our whanau, hapu and iwi.  

Significant issues with the WPSCT mandate have been repeatedly raised with the Trust and the Crown.  In summary:-

• The Waitangi Tribunal’s 2018 Whakatōhea Mandate Inquiry Report concluded that the Trust’s mandate FAILS to adequately uphold hapū rangatiratanga and that the Crown should NOT have recognised the Trust’s mandate in December 2016. The Tribunal recommended that a vote on the issues take place.
• The 2018 vote again demonstrated significant opposition to the Trust’s mandate on an individual and hapū basis.
• Some Whakatōhea hapū have since taken further steps to effect withdrawal, however these steps have NOT been recognised by the Trust.
• The Crown and the Trust have FAILED to appropriately implement the recommendations of the Tribunal and the outcome of the 2018 vote. Instead, a ‘parallel’ settlement and Waitangi Tribunal inquiry has been advanced. 

Ngāti Ira hapū WAI558 and Ngāti Patu hapū WAI1775 Claimants OPPOSE the ‘parallel’ settlement and inquiry proposal as this will remove the ability of the Waitangi Tribunal to make recommendations in respect of the significant historical claims of Whakatōhea.

WPSCT Deed of Mandate withdrawal mechanism continues to operate on an iwi, rather than hapū level despite repeated attempts by Claimants to have this remedied and wilful ignorance by the WPSCT Trust of recommendations made by the Waitangi Tribunal.

WE NEED SUPPORT of Ngāti Ira and Ngāti Patu uri to have our claims WITHDRAWN from the WPSCT Deed of Mandate and the voices of our tīpuna heard at the District Inquiry. 

PLEASE SIGN & SHARE OUR PETITION (download hard copy at https://www.facebook.com/wai558 complete and return to whakatoheaclaimants@gmail.com)

* MUST be 18+ years of age AND                                    
* Whakapapa to Ngāti Ira and/or Ngāti Patu hapū