To establish a new Regional Management Committee to represent Maniapoto-affiliated marae from Kāwhia Harbour.
The Maniapoto Māori Trust Board (the Trust Board) is established under the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board Act 1988 (the Act) to administer its assets for the general benefit of the members of the Maniapoto tribe and their descendents.
Under section 8 of the Act, the Trust Board can establish Regional Management Committees (RMCs) to represent groups of Maniapoto-affiliated marae. There are currently six Maniapoto RMCs which represent the interests of 43 Maniapoto-affiliated marae.These marae are grouped and assigned to RMCs according to geographic proximity. Each RMC elects a representative to sit on the Trust Board, who has full voting rights in Trust Board matters.
In 2003, five Kāwhia Harbour marae came together to request a separate RMC to represent them due to their close geographic proximity, a shared concern for the Kāwhia Harbour region and a desire to influence decisions pertaining to their area.
The Trust Board created an interim RMC to represent the five Kāwhia Harbour marae. However, the interim RMC cannot vote on Trust Board matters or receive operational funding from the Trust Board until it is provided for under the Act and regulations.
These amendments will formalise the RMC for Kāwhia Harbour by providing for a seventh RMC and an extra seat on the Trust Board.Additionally, the new RMC will be added to Schedule 2 of the Māori Trust Boards Regulations 1985.
These amendments also propose to amend the Māori Trust Boards Regulations 1985 to update the marae lists of two other Maniapoto RMCs and correct two minor drafting errors in Schedule 2.
Additionally, it is proposed that the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board Order 1999 and the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board Order 2002 be revoked, as they are no longer required.
On the establishment of a seventh RMC all Maniapoto-affiliated marae will be represented both by a RMC and by a representative on the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board. The Kāwhia Harbour RMC will also receive operational funding and voting rights on Trust Board matters.
The Maniapoto Māori Trust Board and the interim Kāwhia Harbour RMC approached the Minister of Māori Affairs to request that the interim RMC, which had been operating since 2003, be formalised by amending the Act and associated regulations. The Minister of Māori Affairs subsequently sought Cabinet approval to formalise the RMC, and Cabinet agreed.
The Maniapoto Māori Trust Board fully supports the establishment of a new RMC for Kāwhia Harbour and has provided a resolution to this effect.The Trust Board has also advised that the proposal has been presented at numerous iwi and marae hui.The Trust Board has provided minutes from these meetings which demonstrate support for a RMC for Kāwhia Harbour. Additionally, the Trust Board has confirmed that to its knowledge there have been no objections, either to the proposal or during the operation of the interim RMC.
Currently, three marae are unrepresented (Te Mahoe, Tokopiko and Mokoroa), while the other two marae are represented by the Hauauru Ki Uta RMC (Mokai Kainga and Rakaunui). The Trust Board has provided a resolution from the Hauauru Ki Uta RMC confirming that it supports the marae of Mokai Kainga and Rakaunui joining a new RMC for Kāwhia Harbour.
These orders record validations of past elections and information relating to RMCs and are now redundant as they have either served their purpose or record information that is now contained in either the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board Act 1988 or the Māori Trust Boards Regulations 1985. The Trust Board has no issue with the revocation of these orders.
The Trust Board will provide the same level of funding to the new RMC as it provides to the other RMCs. This funding includes an annual grant of $6,000, $150 for the attendance of a RMC representative at each Trust Board meeting and $250 for communications costs. The Trust Board is in a financially sound position to meet these additional costs.
The new RMC will be required to account to the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board on expenditure. The Trust Board is also required to provide annual accounts to the Minister of Māori Affairs on its expenditure, including the level of funding it provided to RMCs.
To effect a name change for the Maniapoto Council of elders by amending the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board Act 1988.
Under section 7 of the Act, the Trust Board has the power to appoint a council of Maniapoto kaumātua to advise it on matters involving tikanga, te reo, and kawa.
The Māori Trust Boards Act 1955 provides that the council of elders shall be known by such name as the Trust Board decides. The council of elders for Maniapoto is currently known as Te Mauri o Maniapoto.
The council of elders for Maniapoto has requested that it be renamed Te Kaumātua Kaunihera o Maniapoto. The request for a name change arises from a concern that the council of elders’ current name suggests that the mauri of Maniapoto is held by it, whereas the mauri of Maniapoto is seen to be held by all the marae of Maniapoto. The Maniapoto Māori Trust Board supports the name change and the name has already been adopted by the council of elders.
It is proposed that the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board Act 1988 will be amended to replace references to ‘Te Mauri o Maniapoto’ with ‘Te Kaumātua Kaunihera o Maniapoto’.
Last modified: 11/12/2007