A new era began for Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui with the signing of their historic Te Tiriti o Waitangi Deed of Settlement at a ceremony at Waikawa Marae, Picton. The $20 million settlement with the Crown includes a package of returned land, commercial property – such as local schools and other government-owned properties – important cultural redress and a $11.3million cash component.

Part of the Settlement process required the creation of the Post-Settlement Governance Entity (PSGE), Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui Trust. This new Trust is required to receive the settlement redress. In order to streamline existing and new iwi structures it is proposed that Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui Trust becomes the Mandated Iwi Organisation (MIO) under the Māori Fisheries Act and the Iwi Aquaculture Organisation (IAO) for Te Ātiawa. Members are being asked to vote in support of this proposal. Click HERE to read the  Panui.