Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri Claims Settlement Bill

Parliament is seeking submissions on legislation to settle Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri historical Treaty claims, record the Crown’s apology and provide cultural and commercial redress. The next Māori Affairs Committee will decide the closing date.

Give legislative effect to parts of the settlement deed, record Crown acknowledgements and apology, and settle the defined historical claims. Clause 15 would make that settlement final and restrict court and tribunal jurisdiction, while preserving jurisdiction over interpretation and implementation.

Provide cultural redress including protocols, recognition of the iwi’s association with a coastal area and other important sites, official geographic names, a conservation board nomination and customary fishing provisions.

Authorise transfers of deferred selection properties and a right of first refusal over specified land shared with Moriori. The separate Rēkohu Wharekauri Shared Redress Bill deals with additional shared arrangements.

The bill’s explanatory note distinguishes legislation from settlement elements that do not require it, including financial redress and a cultural revitalisation payment. This call concerns the bill; it is not a new negotiation of the whole settlement deed.

The bill would implement the parts of the Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri settlement that require legislation. It records the Crown’s acknowledgements and apology, provides for final settlement of defined historical claims, and sets out cultural and commercial redress.

The statutory acknowledgement recognises the iwi’s association with a specified coastal area and has defined purposes in consent and heritage processes. It does not itself grant ownership of that area. Commercial provisions include deferred property transfers and a shared right of first refusal with Moriori. Additional shared arrangements are covered by a separate bill.

The explanatory note expressly separates the legislative measures from payments and other settlement arrangements outside this bill.

Check the current invitation, detailed source limits and submission route before submitting feedback.

The summary is based on the official bill explanatory note and selected operative clauses, not a complete assessment of the signed deeds, mapped sites or legal effects. Read the full bill and associated deeds before relying on detailed rights or property descriptions.

The native Parliament submission portal remains restricted to this reader. Its current form, attachment limits and treatment of confidential material were not verified; the instructions summarise indexed official guidance.

No submission closing date or verified opening date is recorded. The next committee sets closure; the status-review date is a Civics check date and must never be shown as a submission cutoff.

The legislation would finalise defined historical claims and establish enduring cultural recognition and property-related redress. Its implementation could affect the iwi, public agencies and the management of specified land and resources.