The chair of Nga Hapu o Ngaruahine Iwi Incorporated supports the Taranaki Maori Trust Board's call to create a new tribal entity and review the role the trust board plays in its Treaty settlements.
Ngaruahine iwi is one of the eight Taranaki tribes based in the south of the province.
The Taranaki Maori Trust Board says it wants to look at a new model to serve its beneficiaries, including Ngaruahine, more effectively because the Trust Board Act is out of date.
Daisy Nobel says under the act if her iwi needs to apply for funding it often has to go through external channels before any decisions are made.
She says her iwi has talked about the future direction of the trust board and still needs to have further discussions with its members about how this will happen, but she says the time is right to look at fresh ideas.
Ms Nobel says over the last two years all iwi have taken different directions to set up entities such as runanga.
She says there is still a role for the trust board, but just what role is one of the main kaupapa her iwi still needs to talk about.
Ms Nobel says the Trust Board Act is too bureaucratic and is stifling the tribe's development.
