Clarification on claim to Waitangi Tribunal
6 October 2005
Craig Coxhead
Chair
Te Wananga o Aotearoa
The Aotearoa Institute has sought an urgent hearing by the Waitangi Tribunal to consider one element of the 2001
settlement between the Crown and TWOA arising from a claim to the Tribunal taken by three Wananga in protest at their
lack of eligibility for capital assistance from the Crown. The settlement was concluded after a Tribunal report that
found the claim was valid.
The Institute, a charitable trust, is the former private training establishment from which Te Wananga o Aotearoa
developed.
The application for an urgent hearing relates to the final installment of the settlement in which the Crown agreed to
provide a suspensory loan of $20m to TWOA. The Crown has yet to fulfill this commitment.
TWOA is not a party to the application which seeks this urgent hearing.
TWOA remains in negotiation with the Crown on this issue and believes:
- The Crown should make the suspensory loan available forthwith
- A commitment by TWOA in the 2001 settlement that eligibility for the loan be dependent on no less than 80% of the
students at TWOA being Maori is renegotiated
ENDS