Media release
Te Ohu Kaimoana CEO looks forward to the future
29 November 2004| Download as PDF - 219kb
CEO of Te Ohu Kaimoana Peter Douglas says the creation of Te Ohu Kaimoana and Aotearoa Fisheries Limited heralds in a new phase of the Māori fisheries settlement process.
Mr. Douglas says “We’re taking a quantum leap today and creating two independent Māori companies that will hold fisheries assets on behalf of iwi and Māori.”
The Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission is being formally disestablished and the assets of the former Commission will be split in to two. Aotearoa Fisheries Limited will receive around half the value of those assets in the form of company shares (worth around $350 million).
Te Ohu Kaimoana will hold a mix of cash, commercial fishing quota and shares in Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (AFL) until they are transferred out to iwi.
Mr. Douglas says “Te Ohu has a statutory responsibility to ensure that we allocate and transfer most of those assets to iwi within the next five years. I hope that in years to come, we can be proud of the way we managed that process.”
Today also marks the first board meeting of Te Ohu Kaimoana. Seven directors – Shane Jones, Rob McLeod, Rangimarie Parata Takurua, Koro Wetere, Archie Taiaroa, Wira Gardiner and Dame Georgina Kirby - have been chosen from the former 13 Commissioners to lead Te Ohu Kaimoana through this next phase.
Mr Douglas pays tribute to the outgoing Commissioners - Craig Ellison, Naida Glavish, June Jackson, Toro Waaka, Ken Mason and Maui Solomon. “All these Commissioners have shown strong leadership during a very difficult period. They along with the other former Commissioners should be congratulated for their determination to see an end to this process.”
Te Ohu Kaimoana will also monitor the performance of AFL and continue to advocate on behalf of Māori in policy and legislative reforms that may impact on the value of the Māori fisheries assets.
Mr Douglas says while Māori have very high expectations of what Te Ohu Kaimoana will achieve – he is confident that Te Ohu Kaimoana can deliver.