Ngāpuhi Rūnanga Chair Sonny Tau today spoke to Te Kāea over the controversial spending of nearly $6mil of government funding to date to facilitate the settlement of Ngāpuhi treaty claims known as Te Paparahi o Te Raki.
Tau says renewed enquiries into funds spent to date to facilitate the Ngapuhi settlement is a political football in an election year.
“Ngāpuhi is the largest of all tribes by far in this country and 10 times bigger than most. So the amount of money being spent to settle with Ngāpuhi is justified.”
Tau says that in the six years to 2013 alone, the Government spent $76mil on the facilitation of tribal claims and settlements.
“The $6mil spent here doesn't even compare to the full cost. Ngāpuhi is in the spotlight and the $6mil spent has made this a political issue in an election year.”
Tau says a further $15mil has been spent to date on historical research in support of Te Paparahi o te Raki claims. He expects that in the months ahead, the nine-year process of claims before the Waitangi Tribunal will come to an end.
“We've had enough and it's time for the hapū to take the lead. Let's not muck around. Let's make a conscious effort to bring the settlement to an end.”
Regardless of the huge work completed to date, the Rūnanga Chair understands that he and his team will receive criticism over the money spent.