Negotiations result in agreement between Crown and Moriori over treaty claim

Monday, 21 August 2017

Rekohu (the Chatham Islands) are located 650 kilometres east off mainland New Zealand.

An $18 million treaty deal has been struck between the Crown and the Moriori people.

Last week, Treaty Minister Chris Finlayson announced an agreement in principle had been reached between the two groups after 12 months of 'intense negotiations'.

The Hokotehi Moriori Trust is the mandated authority which has been in negotiations with the Crown to settle the historical Treaty of Waitangi settlement claims.

Moriori were the first inhabitants of Rekohu or the Chatham Islands, which lie about 650 kilometres east off mainland New Zealand.

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It is estimated the Moriori populations sits at about 3500 people.

In 1835, two iwi originally from Taranaki migrated to Rekohu and enslaved the Moriori.

Finlayson said when the islands were annexed to New Zealand in 1842, the Crown failed to take appropriate action to stop the treatment of the Moriori, despite its pleas for help.

'The Crown acknowledges Moriori was left virtually landless from 1870, hindering its cultural, social and economic development,' Finlayson said.

He said the Crown also acknowledged it contributed to the myths that the Moriori were 'racially inferior and became extinct'.

The agreement outlines financial and commercial redress worth $18 million along with cultural redress, including the transfer of certain Crown land to the Moriori.

Negotiations towards the deed of settlement between the parties will continue in the coming months.