Securing a Mandate for Kurahaupo A second key requirement of the Treaty settlement process is that: The Crown will only negotiate with mandated representatives Mandating is the process by which the claimant group (e.g. Ngati Apa, Ngati Kuia and Rangitane) choose representatives (in this instance, the Kurahaupo Trust) and grant them authority to enter into discussions and agreements with the Crown on their behalf. It is one of the most important stages in the Treaty settlement process as a mandate to negotiate assures both the Crown and the claimant group that their representatives have been properly authorised.
The Kurahaupo (Ki Te Waipounamu) Trust has been established as the entity that will progress the interests of the Kurahaupo grouping. First we must establish a comprehensive membership roll of all those whom Kurahaupo represents and obtain their mandate to undertake comprehensive Treaty settlement negotiation on their behalf. The mandate sought by the Kurahaupo Trust applies only to the settlement negotiation process. It will authorise the Trust to negotiate an initial (draft) Deed of Settlement with the government. Once the Kurahaupo Trust and the Crown have agreed to an initial Deed of Settlement, the Trust must submit the Deed to the Kurahaupo people. At this time all members of Kurahaupo have a say on whether the Deed is accepted or not. Approval of members of each individual Iwi is required at all stages to ensure that no one Iwi is out voted by the other two. A key philosophy of the Kurahaupo Group is consensus among Iwi in decision making. It is also emphasised that Kurahaupo is not claiming an exclusive authority over the entire northern South Island. Kurahaupo seeks only a settlement of the Kurahaupo Iwi claims and will not stand in the way of the legitimate claims of other northern South Island Iwi engaged in the settlement process.
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