Busy year begins with mandating iwi and protecting the settlement
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He Kororia ki te Atua |
We are well into another busy year. In the first month, we mandated another three iwi to receive fisheries assets, and this was followed closely by our hui a tau, the appointment of two new directors to theboard and a contribution to the public discussions on the Ministry of Fisheries' Shared Fisheries Proposal.
In February this year, Te Kawai Taumata appointed Ngahiwi Tomoana, chairman of Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, and Rikirangi Gage, CEO of Te Whanau a Apanui, to the board of Te Ohu Kaimoana. Both men have had extensive experience in the fisheries and marine environment. I would also like to acknowledge the contribution of Dame Georgina Kirby, who stood down from the board in February.
Shane Jones recently announced his intention to stand down as chairman. Shane's contribution to Te Ohu Kaimoana, to Maori fisheries and to iwi economic development has been immeasurable. He was originally appointed to the former Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission in 1993 before becoming chairman of that organisation in 2000 and later chairman of the newly established Te Ohu Kaimoana. Shane's leadership saw the former commission develop proposals for allocation, consult with all iwi around the country, eventually find near unanimous support for a single model and report that model to the Minister of Fisheries.
In 2005, Shane was elected to Parliament as a Labour Party MP and serves as chairman of the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee.
In March, we were pleased to assist with the inshore fisheries agreement between Ngai Tamanuhiri, Ngati Kahungunu and Rongowhakaata.
During the year ahead, we hope to process as many of the remaining 16 iwi who have not yet passed through the Maori Fisheries Act requirements in order to receive their share of the fisheries settlement. This is foremost on our agenda. We have made it clear to all iwi – in previous newsletters and certainly this was expressed at our Hui a Tau – that it must be everyone's goal to move the fisheries assets from Te Ohu Kaimoana into iwi hands.
Some iwi representatives have expressed that this is not their most important work at the present time. They have pressing agendas dealing with other Treaty issues. Moreover, there is little incentive for them to move forward when they receive the ACE each year from us anyway. The ACE will not always be available to iwi who are making no effort to move through the Act's requirements. Before the end of this calendar year we will probably revisit our policy for ACE delivery to non-compliant iwi. Regrettably we may have to resort to this legal mechanism so that those iwi not making progress do not frustrate the progress of others.
The ACE will not always be available to iwi who are making no effort to move through the Act's requirements. Before the end of this calendar year we will probably revisit our policy for ACE delivery to non-compliant iwi. Regrettably we may have to resort to this legal mechanism so that those iwi not making progress do not frustrate the progress of others.
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Tiakina ngā rawa hi ika, a tātou kaimoana mo ngā uri whakaheke
Protecting Māori fisheries assets for future generations