Almost completed Te Whānau-ā-Apanui settlement now ‘increasingly unlikely' under this Government after minister's sovereignty stance
A Treaty settlement with Te Whānau-ā-Apanui that was near completion is now 'increasingly unlikely' under this Government as Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith seeks to remove a clause agreed to by the previous Labour government.
The iwi say they are at a 'stalemate' with the Crown over the clause
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Te Pāti Māori stands in solidarity with Te Whānau-ā-Apanui after revelations the Government is looking to derail their almost completed Treaty settlement. Minister Goldsmith has stated that the Government will not budge on its position that the Crown is sovereign. They are seeking to remove the 'sovereignty clause' agreed to under the previous Labour government. This is not just a broken promise it is a betrayal of whakapapa, a direct assault on mana, and a deliberate act of sabotage by Minister Paul Goldsmith and the Crown. 'The government sees tino rangatiratanga as a threat, not a Treaty obligation' said Te Pāti Māori Co-leader Rawiri Waititi. Te Whānau-ā-Apanui retains ownership of over 90% of their whenua and has maintained undisturbed access and authority over their moana since the first encounter with Captain Cook on 30 October 1769 and after the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Te Kaha June 14, 1840. They have never ceded sovereignty not through conquest, not through legislation, and certainly not through a modern-day settlement process. To demand that they dilute their tino rangatiratanga to finalise a deal is a continuation of colonial arrogance, an insult to their tīpuna, and is offensive to their future. Te Pāti Māori makes this solemn commitment today: Following the 2026 General Election, Te Pāti Māori will work alongside Te Whānau-ā-Apanui to honour and implement every aspiration, every commitment, and every clause of their negotiated settlement with their tino rangatiratanga fully intact. 'We will not allow colonial politics to destroy what iwi have fought for across generations. We will support any iwi who choose to pause or walk away from settlements that demand the erasure of their sovereignty in exchange for a cheque! 'This Government may stall justice, but it will not stop it. 'Te Whānau-ā-Apanui is not negotiating to be ruled. They are asserting their independence. And we stand with them' concluded Waititi.
