10 Aug 2012

Voting deadline for Auckland Treaty settlement on Friday

6:43 am on 10 August 2012

Descendants of 13 hapu and iwi in the Auckland region have until noon on Friday to vote on whether or not to accept a Treaty settlement from the Crown.

Tribal leaders have already initialled the offer, but now it's up to the people to have their say on the package negotiated by the Tamaki Collective.

Under the agreement, 14 maunga and four islands in Tamaki Makaurau will be transferred to the iwi and hapu.

The tribes will also have first right of refusal to buy any Crown property and land over the next 172 years.

It's likely to be at least a couple of weeks before all of the votes are counted, and the next step will be for the Deed of Settlement to be signed.

The Collective is made up of: Te Akitai Waiohua, Ngati Paoa, Ngati Tamatera, Ngati Whanaunga, Ngati Whatua Orakei, Te Kawerau a Maki, Te Runanga o Ngati Whatua, Ngati Maru, Ngati Tamaoho, Ngati te Ata, Ngati Whatua o Kaipara, Te Patukirikiri and Ngai Tai ki Tamaki.