The Board together with other claimants, kaumatua, whanau, hapu, iwi and marae lodged Treaty of Waitangi claims against the Crown from 1987 to 1998, This collective represents all the people of Hauraki. The Board itself has six separate claims (Wai 100, Wai 96, Wai 373,Wai 374 Wai 650 and Wai 728) alleging Crown breaches of the Treaty. Tribal lands, forests, fisheries, the seabed and foreshore, geothermal and minerals resources were lost through the actions of the Crown. Today about 2.6% of our original customary land remains in Maori ownership.

Waitangi Tribunal reports released to date that relate to the Hauraki Treaty Claims are:

•  The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Report 2001

which dealt with the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000;

•  Te Raupatu O Tauranga Moana, Report on The Tauranga Confisication Claims 2004

which upheld that Hauraki are customary land owners in the Katikati and Te Puna areas of the Northern Bay of Plenty,the government confiscated these lands, and failed to set aside suitable reserves.

•  The Report On The Crown's Foreshore and Seabed Policy 2004

which considered the foreshore and seabed related evidence produced during the Hauraki Waitangi Tribunal hearings.

Extensive research consisting of over 40,000 pages of historical evidence in 11 volumes was published by the Board in 1997 and is available in some public libraries. This research along with many other formal briefs of evidence from hundreds of our people was put before the Waitangi Tribunal at hearings from 1998 to 2002. The Waitangi Tribunal is expected to report its findings into these claims sometime between late 2005 and March 2006.

(05 Sep 06)

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