Two Auckland iwi have reached an agreement to work together around issues of overlapping treaty claims in the Auckland region.
Ngāti Pāoa now has lead mana whenua interests in the east of Auckland and the North Shore, while Ngāti Whatua Orakei had lead mana whenua in central Auckland. Photo: nataliacatalina/123RF
Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei and Ngāti Paoa first signed a kawenata in January and last week confirmed the finer details of that agreement to help them move forward.
The Court of Appeal rejected Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei Trust's bid to stop properties in central Auckland being part of treaty settlements for iwi collective Mārutūāhu and Ngāti Paoa.
On the heels of that decision, Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei and Ngāti Paoa confirmed they would now be working together.
Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei spokesperson Ngārimu Blair said his iwi would now support two central Auckland properties being part of Ngāti Paoa's Treaty settlement.
"We support them going through to Ngāti Paoa and in future if there are crown properties in East Auckland or even if we operate in Auckland we'll be knocking on their door."
Both iwi agreed Ngāti Pāoa had lead mana whenua interests in the east of Auckland and the North Shore, and Ngāti Whatua Orakei had lead mana whenua in central Auckland.
Mr Blair said Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei would still proceed to the Supreme Court with its case against the crown to stop other properties they believe to be within their manawhenua boundaries been given to the Marutuahu Collective as part of their settlement.
Ngāti Paoa chairman Gary Thompson said the agreement allowed both iwi to come together in a tikanga-based approach.
"We've got a lot to learn we've got a long way to go now we have a relationship with that allows us to share korero, share information, share knowledge."
New Treaty Minister Andrew Little would not comment on the agreement because the settlements of some iwi involved were still in the negotiation process.
Mārutūāhu Collective representatives did not respond to RNZ's attempts to contact them.
