Last week the Waitangi Tribunal released its report on stage 2* of the National Freshwater and Geothermal Resources inquiry. The report recommends two specific amendments to the Resource Management Act 1991 and a number of paths and mechanisms for co-governance and co-management.

On March 26 Maori claimants from around the country gathered to make submissions to the Waitangi Tribunal for the rights to their coastal water areas, saying that since the foreshore and seabed march in 2004, progress has been slow in recognising iwi governance of their marine and coastal areas.

The Waitangi Tribunal has recently been hearing the final part of stage of two of its inquiry into a variety of claims relating to New Zealand’s fresh water resources. (A list of the matters the Tribunal is focusing on is available on the Waitangi Tribunal website, see HERE.)

In 2014 the Waitangi Tribunal released a controversial report that claimed Maori did not give up sovereignty. "That is, they did not cede authority to make and enforce law over their people or their territories," the Tribunal said. In a brief statement responding to the report, Attorney-General and Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson said: "There is no question that the Crown has sovereignty in New Zealand. This report doesn't change that fact."

Our working group has been campaigning to have the new memorial plaque on the Ports of Auckland frontage removed and replaced with one that reflects the facts. As outlined in the August edition of our newsletter, the Ports of Auckland say they are happy with the wording on the plaque and do not intend to change it. The plaque erroneously states "Te Kawau gifted 3000 acres to establish the City of Auckland." It replaces a plaque which referred to a purchase rather than a gift.

The new memorial plaque on the Ports of Auckland frontage, Quay St, states "Te Kawau gifted 3000 acres to establish the City of Auckland." It replaces a plaque which referred to a purchase rather than a gift.

Factual evidence shows that there is no doubt the land was sold. In an attempt to set the record straight, several of our members have contacted the CEO of Ports of Auckland, Tony Gibson, requesting that the plaque be corrected to reflect the facts.

Dr John Robinson, in an open letter sent to the Minister of Treaty Negotiations on November 25th, is highly critical of the Waitangi Tribunal, and is calling for a new approach. Dr Robinson has based his proposal on his personal experiences and observations.

In an article published on Breaking Views on November 14th Bruce Moon, a retired computer pioneer and author of ‘Real Treaty; False Treaty - The True Waitangi Story’, laments the insidious effort to erase our true history, accounts of which appear in the news media almost every day.