1 March 2002 Media Release

EXPANDED VIP TAUMATA ADVANCES TOWARDS SETTLEMENT

The first meeting of the expanded taumata, or governing body, of the Volcanic Interior Plateau project (VIP) affirmed its approach to settling the largest forestry claims in the country.

VIP is an umbrella organisation for over half the claimants to Crown forest lands in the central North Island. The taumata met in Rotorua today, for the first time since the death of the former chairperson, Bishop Manuhuia Bennett. The taumata has been expanded from five members to ten (and possibly eleven) to better manage the hundred or so claims affiliated to the VIP.

“The VIP was established to speed up the settlement of forestry claims in the central North Island,” said VIP spokesperson …..                                           “We have already succeeded in advancing our Waitangi Tribunal hearings. Now we’re looking further ahead, to make sure we’re ready for direct negotiations with the Crown.

“The key to our success is mobilising our people effectively,” (s)he said. “To make rapid progress, we need to band together to be more efficient and effective. This is hard to do in the current claims environment, which encourages fragmentation and competition.

“The hapu are the key constituents of the VIP” (s)he said. “We are investigating how best to establish a hapu assembly, to represent our local communities. This is a big job. It has to start at the flax roots, so each hapu is functioning well, and contributing well to the assembly.”

 “To make that happen, the project team is building a strong organisation. We are working towards clear goals, and we want the best possible management and administration. Our hapu must have confidence in the project. And the VIP project is a joint venture with the Crown Forestry Rental Trust, so they, too, must have confidence that we can do what we promise.”

“Our meeting also looked at how to reach out to our neighbours who are not part of the VIP, to see how we can work together for the benefit of everyone in the central North Island. If we can agree to stand together, we can achieve great things.

“As well as managing our claims well, we can manage other joint ventures equally well, like health, education and business development projects. That way, we don’t need to wait for our claims to be settled before we start to take control of our destiny. We can start small, and start immediately.

“We can also have more influence in the local and regional economy, and even nationally, if we stand together. Maori in the central North Island already control valuable assets and, with any settlement, we will become major players. We need to start discussing among ourselves, and then with business and local bodies, how we can contribute.

The full membership of the VIP Taumata is as follows:

Northern Region: (Rotorua to the Bay of Plenty)
Bishop Whakahuihui Vercoe
Sir Howard Morrison
Pirihira Fenwick
Central Region: (Kaingaroa towards the Urewera district)
Rangi Briggs
Anaru Te Amo
Lucy Kora
Southern Region: (Turangi and Taupo)
Tumu Te Heuheu
Mark Gray
Ann Clark
CFRT:
Whatarangi Winiata
*[Optional appointment to be decided]