| Hokianga Accord Letter to MFish
By Sonny Tau
2 July 2006
Tena Koe Stan
First of all I want to thank you for the frank discussions we had last Friday. Although helpful, I still believe that working these issues through in an open forum in the first instance and then individually as iwi is the only way forward. As I said last Friday, iwi in the mid north are at different development stages. Where others are well advance, some are just getting their organisations sorted and they bring many other issues with them. I am focussed on Ngapuhi and Ngati Whatua developing together and assisting Ngati Wai where they wish us to assist. This fisheries management issue is huge to us. We as Maori have the most to lose when fish numbers are down and is why it has received our fullest attention in the last eighteen months.
Your specific responsibilities to Te Uri O Hau and Te Roroa are something you need to deal with within the legislation they have in their agreed protocols with MFish. For iwi like Ngapuhi, Ngati Whatua and Ngati Wai, your responsibilities are explicitly set out in the 1992 Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Act. They are different to Te Uri O Hau and Te Roroa although we welcome them aboard. We cannot be delayed by waiting for them to develop and you heard them clearly on Friday, they want to deal with MFish on their own.
I am also happy with our discussions around the Hokianga Accord and our continued desire to use that forum. With the clarifications contained in my letter to you dated 20th June 2006 and further clarifying the structure on Friday, I believe we are now on the same page. I enclose the Agenda for our next hui to be held 20th to 21st July 2006 at Naumai Marae, Ngati Whatua. Can you please confirm your speakers and topics we want to discuss for that hui to enable us to settle with the Marae on times etc. As I said you and or your staff may leave after the presentations and question times or are more than welcome to stay for the whole hui.
On another matter, I hear that the Pou Hononga Leader is now Tame Teneti, can you please confirm?
Thank you and look forward to hearing from you.
Mauri Ora
Kia tu tika ai te whare tapu o Ngapuhi
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