Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors and 2023 voting process
On this page:
Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors |
Hāwea/Wānaka Substitute Land |
2023 Voting process for Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors to establish their representation |
Are you a successor to the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA land?
SILNA stands for the South Island Landless Natives Act 1906. This Act of Parliament provided for the transfer of land in Te Waipounamu/the South Island and Rakiura/Stewart Island to Māori located in Te Waipounamu/the South Island who had insufficient or no land.
You can read more about SILNA here.
Most SILNA land transferred to the people to whom it had been allocated. However, the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA land that was allocated to 50 individuals did not transfer from the Crown. The names of the 50 people who were allocated the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA land can be found here(external link) as the ‘List of original Grantees for Hāwea-Wānaka’.
Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Successors
Te Kooti Whenua Māori/Māori Land Court is responsible for identifying the successors to the individuals allocated the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA land.
The current list of identified successors can be found here(external link).
To succeed to a desceased person on the list, apply to the Te Kooti Wheneua Māori/Māori Land Court- Te Waipounamu using the form here.(external link)
Further information about the succession process go to: SILNA | Māori Land Court (xn--morilandcourt-wqb.govt.nz)(external link)
Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors are entitled to redress under Section 15 of the Ngāi Tahu deed of settlement.
Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors are encouraged to keep their contact details current with Te Kooti Whenua Māori/Māori Land Court via the online form:
Hāwea/Wānaka Substitute Land
The Hāwea/Wānaka Substitute Land is committed to the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors under section 15 of the Ngāi Tahu deed of settlement.
It has an area of approximately 50.7 hectares. The Substitute Land, known locally as ‘Sticky Forest’, is located north-east of Wānaka township, and south of where Lake Wānaka feeds into Mata-Au/Upper Clutha River.
Te Arawhiti administers this land and has contracted a private company to regularly inspect the land, and advise on required pruning, insurance matters and requests from the public or companies for land use.
The Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors need representatives appointed to:
- explore the options available, as to:
- whether to receive the Substitute Land as Māori freehold or general land, and
- what kind of entity should hold and manage the Substitute Land for the successors
- develop recommendations to the successors about how to receive the land and hold the Substitute Land
- discuss issues associated with the Substitute Land with the Crown (facilitated by Te Arawhiti) prior to transfer and reach agreements with the Crown on how those issues might be addressed; and
- make recommendations to the successors on the above matters, to inform successor votes in the final Part 9 meeting to be convened by the Te Kooti Whenua Māori/Māori Land Court in accordance with Part 9 of Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993
Further information about why representation is needed is available here(external link)
2023 Voting process for Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors to establish their representation
Te Arawhiti, along with Te Puni Kōkiri, facilitated a process for Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors identified by Te Kooti Whenua Māori/Māori Land Court to establish an interim representative body.
Nomination Phase – ended 18 September 2023
Hardcopy nomination packs were sent out in August 2023.
A video about the Nominations Phase can be found here(external link)
The ‘2023 Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Successors: Establish Your Interim Representation’ information booklet can be found here. [PDF, 12 MB]
Nominees
A total of 14 valid nominations were received by Election Services. These 14 nominees are the candidates for election to represent the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors.
Voting Phase- 16 October to 27 November 2023
Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors had the opportunity to vote in favour of up to five of the nominees to form the representative body. This process was overseen by Election Services, as the independent returning officer. Voting closed on 27 November 2023.
Formation of representative body - April 2024
On 15 April 2024 the five highest polling candidates met to form the representative body and named it the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group. The Terms of Reference for the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group can be found here [PDF, 15 MB].
The members of Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group appointed Lorraine Rouse as their Chair.
On 15 April 2024, Te Arawhiti provided the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group with information as to the Substitute Land committed to the successors, and the parties discussed a process to position the successors to make the decisions required of them under Section 15 of the Ngai Tahu Deed.
The Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group is currently considering next steps, including future communications to the successors.
Further updates will be posted on this webpage.
Questions related to this topic can be emailed to SILNA@tearawhiti.govt.nz