Crown Signs $24m Treaty Settlement with Ngāti Ruapani

The settlement also includes an agreed historical account and formal Crown apology for breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi that caused significant harm to generations of Ngāti Ruapani.

The Crown and Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana have signed a Deed of Settlement at Tuai, marking the conclusion of Treaty of Waitangi negotiations for Te Urewera after six years of talks.

Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith described the agreement as a long-awaited milestone that both acknowledges historical grievances and lays foundations for future development.

“After six years of negotiations we have reached a long-awaited agreement that acknowledges the past and looks to a stronger future,” Mr Goldsmith said.

“It is a privilege to sign the Deed and deliver the Crown apology to Ngāti Ruapani in their rohe.”

Return of Land to Te Urewera

A central component of the settlement is the return of Crown-owned land into Te Urewera, reflecting Ngāti Ruapani’s long-standing aspiration to restore and strengthen their connection to the ancestral landscape.

Approximately 12,000 hectares of land will be added to Te Urewera as part of the redress package, reinforcing the iwi’s cultural, environmental and historical ties to the region.

Ngāti Ruapani are based in and around south Waikaremoana, with deep whakapapa connections to Te Urewera.

$24 Million Redress Package

The full redress package includes:

• $24 million in financial redress

• An undivided half share of Patunamu Forestry Ltd

• Four commercial redress properties

• Two cultural redress properties

• Approximately 12,000 hectares of Crown land added into Te Urewera

The settlement also includes an agreed historical account and formal Crown apology for breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi that caused significant harm to generations of Ngāti Ruapani.

Concluding Te Urewera Settlements

The signing formally concludes Treaty settlement negotiations in Te Urewera, a region with complex historical grievances and longstanding Crown–iwi engagement.

“While no settlement can fully remedy the injustices of the past, this agreement represents an important step forward,” Mr Goldsmith said.

“I hope it will support Ngāti Ruapani to achieve their cultural and economic aspirations for future generations to come.”

The Deed of Settlement is publicly available through Te Tari Whakatau (the Office of Treaty Settlements).

The agreement represents both a formal acknowledgment of historical wrongs and a platform for Ngāti Ruapani to pursue cultural revitalisation, environmental stewardship and economic development in the years ahead.