A Hawke's Bay tribal group is a step closer to regaining rights in its rohe.
Iwi, hapu and whanau of the Wairoa District in Northern Hawke's Bay at Parliament to sign an Agreement in Principle towards settling Treaty of Waitangi claims. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
Heretaunga-Tamatea has signed an agreement in principle with the Crown, one of several formal stages on the road to securing a settlement for Treaty of Waitangi breaches.
It has suffered from significant and widespread loss of land under the Crown, and will receive $100 million in compensation.
Some of that money will be spent on setting up a restoration fund for waterways, and a portion of the package will be invested in marae and education for tribal members.
The iwi and hapu will be given powers to appoint two members to the Hawke's Bay Regional planning committee.
Bids will be made for the original Maori place names to be recognised: Waipureku for Clive and Heretaunga for Hastings.
Te Tira Whakaemi o Te Wairoa - covering northern Hawke's Bay and southern Gisborne - also signed its agreement in principle on Thursday.
The cluster of iwi and hapu will also receive $100 million, and some of that money is earmarked to buy out the Crown's interest in Wharerata Forest Limited.
The Crown will also explore returning culturally significant sites south of Lake Waikaremoana, on land administered by the Department of Conservation.