The Mangatu Remedies Inquiry (WAI 323/814)
Ngā mihi atu ki nga Whānau o Wi Pere
1. Summary
I am pleased to be able to report to you that the Waitangi Tribunal has finally released its interim decision on the Mangatu Remedies Inquiry.
The Tribunal has determined that the land comprising what was Mangatu 1 and 2 Blocks will be returned undivided to a Forestry Collective Trust to be managed as one and governed equally by Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Nga Uri o Tamanui and Te Whānau a Kai.
The Tribunal has also awarded 100 % compensation to three claimants with 68% to Te Aitanga a Mahaki, 14% to Te Whānau a Kai and 18% to Ngā Uri o Tamanui. The amount of this compensation will be substantial and the respective claimants will disclose those amounts in due course.
This decision by the Tribunal is an interim decision which will become final after the expiry of 90 days from 30 September 2021, unless the Crown is able to negotiate an alternative settlement(s) with all the claimants. There is also a possibility of the Crown and/or other claimants legally challenging the Tribunal’s interim decision.
2. Benefits for Wi Pere Whānau
The Wi Pere Whānau Claim is part of the Te Aitanga a Mahaki Claim and will benefit as part of the Te Aitanga a Mahaki whānau.
Your negotiators, Robyn Rauna and myself, will work with Te Aitanga a Mahaki to try to finalise aspects of the settlement such as an apology to our tipuna Wi Pere and other matters of importance to us.
3. Distribution
This Tribunal decision could only be communicated after 12.00 noon, 1 October 2021. This panui was distributed as follows:
· To all owners for email addresses we have
· Posted on the Wi Pere website on https://www.wipere.com/news
· By post for those owners, we have valid addresses for
A copy of the Tribunal decision of some 460 pages is available on the Wi Pere website.
4. Conclusion
The Tribunal decision is a great outcome for the Wi Pere whānau and other claimants as we will all benefit from the return of our land and the compensation awarded to the three main claimant groups.
The Wi Pere Trust Board want to thank the Wi Pere whānau for your continued support over the years to enable this momentous outcome to occur.
Mauriora,
Alan Haronga - Chair, On behalf of the Wi Pere Trust Board
1 October 2021