29 June 2006 Media Release
2005/06 Annual Report Released
Crown Forestry Rental Trust (The Trust) today released its Annual Report for the year ending 31 March 2006 at a presentation to its Appointors - the New Zealand Maori Council, Federation of Maori Authorities and Minister of Finance.
The Trust was established in 1990 to provide assistance to Maori with Treaty claims involving Crown forest licensed land. The report details a successful year for the Trust, which has improved the way it assists Maori with claims to Crown forest licensed land.
The Trust holds rental from Crown forest licensed land in trust until Maori and the Crown resolve ownership of claims over Crown forest licensed land. The Trust currently holds $520.4 million in trust. It invests the rental money in Government bonds and bank deposits and uses interest to fund eligible groups.
In the first three months of this financial year, two claimant groups received accumulated rentals amounting to a total of $18.5 million as part of their respective settlement packages negotiated with the Crown. In April 2005, the Trust transferred $16.7 million of accumulated rentals on 9400 hectares of Crown forest licensed land in the Central North Island received by Te Runanga o Ngati Awa as part of its settlement package with the Crown. In June 2005, Te Runanga o Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau received $1.9 million accumulated rentals from the Trust for their interests in 844 hectares of Rotoehu West forest land.
“While these settlements are welcome progress we do not foresee any settlements involving Crown forest licensed land in the next two to three years. That is disappointing to us,” Chief Executive, Ben Dalton said. “For some time now Trustees have sought speedier resolution to claims on Crown forest land and that something needs to be done to reduce the time to achieve Treaty settlements.”
Progress towards the settlement of claims ultimately depends on the quality of the people leading the claimant group and the Crown negotiating team. Thus, while the Trust is ready to play its part by providing funding assistance to claimants, it cannot speed up the overall settlement process. This is something that only the Crown and Maori can do.
“Nevertheless the Trust has a duty to the claimants,” Mr Dalton said, “and we support any review that looks at ways that Treaty settlements can be accelerated. In the meantime we will continue to support eligible claimants through the current Crown settlement framework.”
Trustees look forward to the day when the claims to Crown forest land are finally settled. “The sooner the claims to Crown forest licensed land are settled and the assets released for investment the better.” Mr Dalton said. “The Trust is committed to assisting eligible groups achieve this goal as quickly as possible.”
Trustees will be undertaking public meetings to present the report to claimant communities from 10-13 July in, Whangarei (Forum North Conference Centre), Rotorua (Quality Resort Heritage), National Park, (The Grand Chateau), Gisborne (Gisborne Hotel) Wairoa, (Wairoa Community Centre), Masterton (Copthorne Solway Park), and Blenheim (Admirals Motor Lodge).
Background Information on the Trust
The Crown Forestry Rental Trust is an independent trust with equal numbers of Maori and Crown appointed Trustees. It receives no taxpayer funding.
The main purpose of Trust is the management and administration of interest earned from investment of rental proceeds from Crown forest licensed land.
It uses this interest to assist eligible Maori claimants in the preparation, presentation and negotiation of claims involving Crown forest licensed land before the Waitangi Tribunal and the Office of Treaty Settlements. The Trust is not involved in negotiating or settling claims. That is the responsibility of Maori claimant groups and the Crown through settlement negotiations.
The Trust provides funding and support to eligible claimant groups by:
- Providing advice on matters concerned with the Waitangi Tribunal or the settlement negotiations processes managed through the Office of Treaty Settlements.
- Funding specific settlement related activities necessary for these processes.
- Planning and funding any research that is required to support the claimants, claims.
For further information please contact:
Wayne Bettjeman, Acting Communications Manager
DDI: 04 916 7833
Mobile: 021 471 920