March 2008 Newsletter
Kia hiwa ra- March 2008
Chief Executive
The Trust has been full steam ahead since January largely due to the Treaty Negotiations Minister's approach to addressing the claims settlement process. While the pace is long overdue, the haste has brought with it a number of challenges for the Trust.
A growing number of claimant organisations have received letters from the Minister confirming his intention to engage in formal negotiations.
The Trust's processes have been built around developing a cohesive working relationship with the Office of Treaty Settlements and the Waitangi Tribunal. The acceleration of settlement negotiations has meant the Trust has had to move its own internal processes to ensure that groups engaged directly with the Minister are appropriately resourced to further advance the negotiations process.
This is particularly important to Central North Island Iwi who have organised themselves into a large natural grouping for the purposes of negotiating a commercial settlement based on Crown Forest Licensed land in their rohe. If this deal is successful it will be the single biggest settlement involving Crown Forest Licensed land.
On the home front we have just completed a recruitment round aimed at filling a number of vacant positions. We were generally impressed with the skill levels of those who have signaled an interest in becoming part of our whanau. Over the next month there will be an intensive internal training process underway to help bring the new team members up to speed with our funding processes.
Claimant Survey
The Trust is undertaking a comprehensive claimant survey over the next couple of months to determine how we can further strengthen our internal processes to meet the needs of our wider stakeholder base. We have commissioned ColmarBrunton to carry out the task on our behalf. The survey will be on-line and we are hoping to canvass as many individuals as possible. Once the quantitative data is examined by ColmarBrunton, a number of stakeholders will be selected to take part in a qualitative survey. The overall survey will encourage a free and frank exchange of views from the claimant community. Once all of the data is collated the Trust will use it as a basis to further streamline future operations.
From the Board Table
At the February Board meeting Trustees approved funding for the Northland based Whangaroa Hapu Collective to undertake their communications and project coordination activities. Ngati Apa received funding approval for legal, valuations and tax advice over the coming year. The Whanganui district inquiry also received funding for a facilitator to assist the Whanganui claims clusters for the next 18 months.
Economics of Treaty Settlements
A key consideration of settlement negotiations is the resources required to run an effective and functioning post-settlement governance entity. The governance entity established to receive the settlement assets has a number of statutory functions to perform at settlement. Beneficiaries also have expectations of benefits accruing to them by way of grants and opportunities. These functions and beneficiary expectations cost money. The question which arises: what is the minimum income-generating quantum that claimants can (or should) accept which can run a governance entity established to receive settlement assets? Put another way, what income is required to support an economically sustainable post-governance settlement entity?
Another key issue facing claimants is the level of redress on offer. There is an opportunity cost in not accepting a package, but at what time should they draw the negotiations to a close?
The Trust commissioned Business and Economic Research Ltd (BERL) to address these points and now has two summary reports available.
The first report, Functions and Costs of Operating a post-settlement governance entity presents the variables making up the operating costs of a medium sized post-governance settlement entity. It models the fixed costs, the discretionary costs (ie, the expectations of the beneficiaries for a range of grants and financial assistance to the iwi), and the size of the commercial and financial redress package that would be required to support the functions of such an entity.
The second report, Cost Benefit Analysis of Alternative Settlement Strategies, uses a number of variables and assumptions in a simple spreadsheet-based economic model to show income generated by early settlement of quantum versus the costs of income foregone and the ongoing costs of continued settlement negotiations.
These reports incorporate input by claimants who have settled their claims or are well advanced in the settlement process. The final reports and associated worksheets are available to claimants and other interested parties for download. Here
Historical claims close off date
The deadline for lodging an historical Treaty claim is the 1st September 2008. Information about the Treaty of Waitangi Amendment Act 2006, which introduces a closing date for the submission of historical claims to the Waitangi Tribunal, is available here.
Miscellaneous
Maori Farmers
Judging is underway to determine the three finalists for the Maori farmer of the Year awards. As chair of Wairarapa Moana Incorporation, our own Trustee Kingi Smiler is himself a former winner. The Incorporation’s Te Pouakani sheep and beef farm unit is a major dairy operation with over 7000 cows and scooped the major prize in 2005.
An awards night evening to honour the finalists and announce the supreme title winner of Maori Farmer of the Year will be held on Friday 6 June 2008.
Education
April 16-18 Te Whanau O Waipareira in association with Ngati Whatua and the National Maori Urban Authority is hosting the 21st Century Education Summit in West Auckland. Contact Maree OBrien on (09) 836 6683.
Maori Health
Applications are invited for the Ministry of Health Hauora Maori Scholarships 2008. The purpose of the scholarships is to build Maori workforce capacity in the health sector by assisting students to undertake or complete NZQA accredited courses in health and disability studies.
World Indigenous Television Broadcasting Conference
Maori Television is about to host the first-ever gathering of indigenous television leaders from around the world. The conference will feature international speakers who are industry experts in the fields of broadcasting, media and indigenous languages.
Te Marautanga
The draft curriculum for Maori-medium schools, Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, has been launched. Te Marautanga sets the direction for teaching and learning for the 17,500 students in New Zealand’s 350 primary and secondary Maori-medium schools; ie,schools that use te reo Maori for all communication, including teaching. Consultation on the draft is underway until 22 April 2008. A series of regional workshops will be held to get feedback.
Ben Dalton
Chief Executive
Crown Forestry Rental Trust
