Three Te Ātiawa marae, namely Ōwae, Muru Raupatu and Kairau Marae, have declined Te Ātiawa Iwi Authority’s request to host a formal signing ceremony of the Te Ātiawa Iwi Deed of Settlement worth $87mil.
Te Kāea understands an attempt to stop the controversial settlement signing has been made by opposing hapū Otaraua and Manukōrihi, who have lodged an injunction with the Waitangi Tribunal.
Yesterday, Te Ātiawa Iwi Authority posted on its Facebook page that 40.2%, which amounts to just over 2000 adult members of Te Ātiawa, participated in the ratification of the settlement package.
Furthermore, 77% of those votes supported the deed.
The signing is expected to take place at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s Rangiātea Campus in New Plymouth tomorrow at 10am.