Hone Harawira

• Member of Parliament
• Independent
• Te Tai Tokerau

"A just and fair settlement for Ngāpuhi will be a blessing for the whole nation."

Although they were the first to sign the Treaty, Ngāpuhi continue to suffer the effects of colonialism in ways that no other iwi in the country has done.

Ngāpuhi are clearly the largest single iwi in the country, and yet regrettably - in a land blessed with the country’s best climate, abundant waterways and good farmland - Ngāpuhi are also the poorest iwi in the country.

History, poor decision-making at both regional and national level, poor infrastructure and the lack of a solid economic base have conspired to ensure Ngāpuhi are nowhere near their potential.

And that is why a just and enduring settlement for Ngāpuhi must be a priority for this government - to rectify the substantial breaches of the Treaty in the homeland of the Treaty, the land of Ngāpuhi, and to do so without delay.

A just and enduring settlement for Ngāpuhi will be one of the most significant and important of all Treaty settlements.

A just and enduring settlement for Ngāpuhi will enable the people of the North to move into a phase where the development of potential stands alongside the redressing of injustice.

A just and enduring settlement for Ngāpuhi will enable the North to open the door to other possibilities. A just and enduring settlement for Ngāpuhi will be a blessing for the whole nation.

Ngāpuhi may not be on government’s list of current priorities, but I sincerely believe that the settlement of Ngāpuhi Treaty claims must become a major consideration in government’s plans.