Ngāti Rangitihi is to remain with Te Arawa Fisheries after failing to gain a 75% majority vote in favour of the resolution to withdraw from Te Arawa Fisheries at a recent preliminary hui.
The final results released by Elections New Zealand earlier this week show that almost 65% of Ngāti Rangitihi iwi members who attended the hui voted in favour of the resolution to withdraw from Te Arawa Fisheries. However, the iwi is required by the Te Kotahitanga o Te Arawa Trust deed to gain at least a 75% majority vote in order to proceed with the withdrawal process.

The withdrawal from Te Arawa Fisheries has been a difficult and complex process according to Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust Chairman Graham Pryor. He says the ballot was the iwi’s only chance to take control of both its customary and commercial fisheries and aquaculture rights and assets.

“Although we did not receive the required support to move forward in the withdrawal process the opportunity we gained for Ngāti Rangitihi to be a self-determining iwi has been encouraging,” says Mr Pryor.

“As a majority our people decided to bring the rights to the management of our coastline back into the hands of our iwi, however, we must honour the will of those who wish for Te Arawa Fisheries to continue to manage our assets on behalf of our people.”

Failure to meet the specified majority required by the Trust Deed has put an end to the formal process of withdrawal but Mr Pryor says the Trust will continue to support efforts to improve the performance of Te Arawa Fisheries and by extension to increase the current benefits the iwi currently receives through Te Arawa Fisheries.

“Ngāti Rangitihi is entitled to more than the $20,000 it currently receives from its share of $2.95M in fisheries assets managed by Te Arawa Fisheries and we will be looking to work alongside other iwi within Te Arawa Fisheries to maximize benefits for our iwi,” he says. 

Click here to view the final results as released by Elections NZ.