2 October 2018

For Immediate Release

Whakatōhea Pre Settlement Claims Trust pleased with Ministerial Investigation findings

The Whakatōhea Pre Settlement Claims Trust (the Trust) welcomes the findings and recommendations noted in the Ministerial Investigation into the Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board (the Trust Board).

Trust Deputy Chair Bruce Pukepuke says the completion of the Ministerial Investigation finally allows the Trust to move forward and carry on with its mahi for all of Whakatōhea.

“The report validates the elections process, confirms the hapū representatives elected by whānau in November 2017, and means Whakatōhea’s tribal register can be used for the upcoming vote on our future settlement process.”

With the withdrawal last week of the High Court challenge lodged by the claimants seeking a judicial review of the Waitangi Tribunal’s recommendation, Mr Pukepuke notes that all legal challenges that have been put forward by claimants against The Trust are now complete.

“All of this means it is now up to our iwi, hapū and whānau to decide on the future of this settlement and that’s the way the Trust believes it should be,” says Mr Pukepuke.

“We are really looking forward to having our direction reconfirmed so we can achieve a settlement that will give our tamariki and mokopuna opportunities that others before us did not get to have.”

ENDS

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