Hon Mark Burton
Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations

12 September 2005 MEDIA RELEASE

Te Roroa Deed of Settlement ready for ratification

The Crown and the Te Roroa Negotiators have today finalised the Deed of Settlement for the settlement of Te Roroa’s historical claims, Treaty Negotiations Minister Mark Burton has announced.

The finalised Deed of Settlement follows the signing of an Agreement in Principle on 20 December 2004. Since then the parties have been working intensively to incorporate the settlement package into a comprehensive and legally binding Deed. The Deed, along with a governance entity to receive the settlement assets, is now subject to ratification by the people of Te Roroa. If ratified, it will be signed by both parties in late 2005 or early 2006 and implemented through legislation.

The settlement includes:

- acknowledgements of, and a Crown apology for, historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles;

- a cultural redress package including the transfer of several sites of cultural significance to Te Roroa; and

- financial redress totalling $9.5 million, which Te Roroa will receive either as cash or in Crown-owned properties.

"I wish to congratulate Te Roroa in reaching this historic milestone. It follows many years of negotiations with the Crown and is a considerable accomplishment for the people, and their negotiators.”

The Deed of Settlement is available online at www.ots.govt.nz.

ENDS

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