REFLECTIVE INSIGHT #016 - THE SETTLEMENT IS NOT THE SAVIOUR - FROM FISCAL ENVELOPES TO THE ECONOMIC PĀ

We need to have a hard kōrero about the numbers. The recent reports confirm what we have known in our bones for generations: the forensic economic loss to Ngāpuhi—the actual value of the land and resources stripped from our tūpuna—exceeds $20 billion. That is the debt.

But the political reality? The Crown is offering a settlement likely between $500 million and $800 million. They call this a "realistic range" because of the "Fiscal Envelope" and the relativity clauses with Tainui and Ngāi Tahu. If the Crown pays us what we are owed, it bankrupts the country. So, they offer us cents on the dollar.

This creates a fracture in our iwi. On one side, we have the "Blockers"—hapū in the Hokianga and Whangarei who say, "Keep your money, we never ceded sovereignty". They are standing on the Wai 1040 finding that our rangatira never gave away their authority. On the other side, we have the "Advancers"—hapū in the Bay of Islands and Whangaroa who say, "We need the resources now to feed our people". They are moving ahead to secure assets like Kororipo Pā and leverage the mandate.