REVIEWING THE RECORD

The mission of Ngāti Kahu is Kia Pūmau Tonu te Mana Motuhake o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Kahu (to steadfastly uphold the sovereignty of Ngāti Kahu’s hapū).  Our means of doing that is to negotiate, demonstrate and resist as needed, in that order.  Not the other way round.

Since the arrival of Tauiwi (English people) and the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the record shows that that is what we have consistently done.  And in spite of the fact that Tauiwi built their capital off the resources they stole from us, it’s what we continue to do.

In the late 1990s, as soon as we knew he had arrived in Karikari, we opened negotiations with the former owner of Carrington, an American investor.  The fact that those negotiations failed and the consequent battles we had with him in and out of court are also on the record. 

In 2013, as soon as we heard he’d sold Carrington to a Chinese investor, we opened negotiations with the new owner.  The cooperation agreement we now have with Shanghai CRED balances their rights to complete the development at Karikari with our responsibilities to protect nga waahi tapu, te ao taiao me nga tangata katoa (the sacred places, environment and people). 

As part of that, last week Professor Margaret Mutu and I led the first Ngati Kahu-Shanghai roopu whakawhiti (cultural exchange) to China.  At our next hui-a-marama we report the detailed results of that visit directly to our hapu and iwi.  

While we were in Shanghai, the US Senate voted down President Obama’s attempt to fast-track legislation that would have authorised his administration to conclude negotiations and then sign off the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) without going back to Congress for anything but a “YES” or “NO” vote.

Some commentators suggest that, because the TPP excludes China, it is being used by the US as a means to contain or limit China’s influence and activity in the Pacific. 

Knowing America’s foreign relations record that may well be so.  But the reality is that, through investment, diplomacy and trade, China already has a large and growing presence in the Pacific. 

Therefore, even if it survives this latest setback (and there are ways that it could), without China inside the fold, the TPP could be a lame duck free trade agreement anyway. 

Ngati Kahu opposes the TPP.  Our reasons for that are on the record.  However, unless there are major changes in the government’s legislative record and attitudes, or in New Zealand’s voting record and attitudes, then both foreign investment and development will continue to be realities in our rohe long into the foreseeable future. 

Therefore, even under the cooperation agreement we have with Shanghai CRED, it is on the record that our mission and our means are ongoing.  Kia Pūmau Tonu te Mana Motuhake o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Kahu.