Draft Policy and Procedures Ngāti Whanaunga Member Registration & Voting Eligibility Date Prepared: May 24th, 2015 Version of Policy: Version 1.1 Policy Owner: Ngāti Whanaunga Incorporated Society Policy Aim: To ensure the process for application and registration of membership with the Ngāti Whanaunga Incorporated Society provides a membership list for the purposes of voting eligibility and receipt of membership entitlements. Policy Guidelines: Contained within the Society s Rules are its objects which includes (among others) the following of relevance to determining its membership and eligibility provisos: (a) to maintain and develop Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi so that it grows (b) to maintain te reo, ngā tikanga, ngā kawa of Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi (c) to identify and maintain the tribal boundary of Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi (d) to create a communication system to keep Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi informed/networking system with other Iwi e.g. demographic registrar. (e) To emphasise/promote the importance of well-being, not only physically but emotionally and spiritually. 1.1. Definition and determination of Ngāti Whanaunga membership Given these specific objects contained within the Rules of the Incorporated Society, the Trustees are charged with the legal responsibility of managing and maintaining a list of registered members, that has integrity and can be relied upon to be absolutely and specifically representative of Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi / hapū members whose interests and aspirations are served and represented by the Incorporated Society. The key determining factors of those eligible to register and therefore to be represented by the Incorporated Society in terms of Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi / hapū members are contained within the following sections (i) and (ii) below.
(i) Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi / Hapū The Ngāti Whanaunga tribal members are those who can trace their whakapapa from the tupuna line of Whanaunga, the third son of Marutuahu, eponymous ancestor of the Iwi/ hapū groupings who have settled in the wider Hauraki region since the arrival of the Tainui waka to Aotearoa, over 700 years ago. Ngāti Whanaunga is a large and distinct group of individuals who are members of the hapū of Ngāti Whanaunga and who have customary links to Ngāti Whanaunga hapū lands and estates, including those who affiliate to Ngāti Whanaunga hapū by way of customary adoption (Whangai) and by way of customary joining (Tuhonohono tanga). Ngāti Whanaunga hapū lands and estates are spread throughout the Hauraki, the Tāmaki, and the Mahurangi/Kaipara claims regions. (ii) Ngāti Whanaunga Membership Ngāti Whanaunga membership is therefore based on common whakapapa and associated historical occupation of lands and estates within Ngāti Whanaunga tribal boundaries. Ngāti Whanaunga have had their mana whenua recognised and acknowledged by other tribes of Tainui and Te Arawa, by the Māori Land Court, and by the Crown in historical land transactions and the current settlement of Treaty grievances. Living descendants of Ngāti Whanaunga number in the thousands and are spread geographically throughout New Zealand and abroad in other countries. Their distinctive whakapapa and linkage to their tribal lands and boundaries provides the basis for the list of members eligible for membership benefits and for voting on matters that are pertinent to Ngāti Whanaunga development. 1.2 Ngāti Whanaunga Registration of Members Ngāti Whanaunga Incorporated Society was formally constituted in February 1992 and has administered the Treaty claims and negotiations process since then as well as generally representing other social, cultural and educational purposes. The Deed of Mandate ˡ between the Incorporated Society and the Crown stipulates the membership of Ngāti Whanaunga as being: Ngati Whanaunga Incorporated Society Executive Committee members view the society as the iwi authority representing all members of iwi/hapū of Ngāti Whanaunga, which it will continue to do until such time as a Ngāti Whanaunga Trust entity is established - which will include for membership and participation of all descendants of iwi hapū of Ngāti Whanaunga. The Ngati Whanaunga Incorporated Society is in the process of developing and establishing such an entity. A comprehensive tribal register of Ngāti Whanaunga iwi/hapū members has not been compiled to the fullest extent possible in order to be utilised for formal requirements to conduct a poll of members for the purposes of postal votes that ratifies a final Deed of Settlement (DOS) and a final Agreement in Principle (AIP) with the Crown. ˡ Ngāti Whanaunga Deed of Mandate Prepared by the Ngāti Whanaunga Incorporated Society May 2011.
2.1 Registration Procedures The Incorporated Society is legally and morally responsible for compiling, managing and maintaining a comprehensive list of all Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi/hapū members and to use its resources to ensure the list is efficiently and effectively accessible for all necessary requirements and fulfillments of its core and ancillary functions. That is, in order for the Incorporated Society s members to fully participate in Ngāti Whanaunga affairs and interests, members must be identifiable, members must be informed through regular communications, members must be contactable and members must vote for representation. 2.2. The following procedures will be followed when registering members of the Ngāti Whanaunga Incorporated Society: 2.2.1 Governance Procedures (i). The Incorporated Society shall manage its list of members according to the following policy statements and principles: - Strictly adhering to and applying these guidelines and procedures for registration and approval processes - Maintaining adequate IT protocols and securities of personal information, including storage, access, use and distribution - Applying professional standards in research and evidence based searches for verifying and approving personal information of whakapapa and land block ownership - Providing transparency and objectivity in decision making and approval processes for registering members including the right to appeal decisions and present further information in support of an application (ii). The Executive Officers shall establish an approval and verification committee convened for the purposes of considering all applications for membership and assessing the registration for approval. The basis of the determination for registration as a member of the Incorporated Society is listed in section 1.1 of the Policy guidelines.
2.2.2 Management Procedures (iii). The verification process for each membership application shall be consistent, accurate, and transparent and shall adhere to all of the appropriate and applicable standards of managing and administering beneficiary interests, membership communications and voting populations. (iv) The registration form shall be available in electronic and hard copy form at all and every hui, gathering and significant event of the Ngāti Whanaunga people. All members should be asked to distribute and promote the application forms amongst their members for wide distribution and common viewing. (v) The registration form should provide clear provisions for obtaining contact details of the applicant, their full legal names and all aliases, and their whakapapa to 3 generations (i.e. to great grandparent). The application form should also seek verification of the whakapapa through knowledge of the linkages to shareholding in Ngāti Whanaunga lands and states or descent from one of the current or proviso shareholders / beneficial owners of those lands and estates. (vi) Management of the registration forms to approval stages must be managed on a monthly basis and all new applications for registration must be recorded separately and accorded a unique processing identification. (vii) Any and all decisions made by the verification / whakapapa committee must be immediately notified to the applicant upon completion of verification and approval meeting. The reasons for decline must be given to the applicant and an opportunity must be given for the applicant to make a response to the preliminary decision. (viii) All conflicts of interest must be declared prior to an application being considered and any decision being made must be peer reviewed by another committee member whose knowledge of whakapapa and land block associations is equally knowledgeable so as not to cause prejudice or discrimination. (ix) All decisions will be made public and new registrations posted on the Incorporated Society s website by the end of the month following the committee approval decision.
Appendice 1. Ngāti Whanaunga Incorporated Society Rules (Objects).
Appendice 2: Template for Registration Form for Membership of Ngāti Whanaunga Inc Soc. 1.1 Declaration Section to Include: I hereby declare that, to the best of my knowledge, the information in this application is true and correct. I agree that the Incorporated Society may use this information in connection with the Incorporated Society s purposes including, to develop its Register of Member /Beneficiaries and a voting eligibility list as required by Statutory Legislation and other identification processes. I agree that the Incorporated Society will deal with this personal information in accordance with its obligations under the Privacy Act 1993 and the Privacy Principles therein. I will contact the Incorporated Society should my address or details change in the future. 1.2 Affiliation Section to Include: Please list all of your tribal affiliations known to you that represent your Ngāti Whanaunga Iwi/hapū descendants and links We encourage members to list all Marae or Hapu they affiliate and the land blocks that you are a shareholder or future shareholder of Primary Affiliation Other Affiliations Marae Hapū Land Blocks or Estates 1.3 Whakapapa Section to Include: Please fill in this section to the best of your knowledge. You may provide any other details which may assist in determining your eligibility using "Other Whakapapa Details" below. Note -You may be required to provide further evidence verifying your affiliation to Ngāti Whanaunga if you are unable to identify your whakapapa descent. For the purposes of whakapapa, we recognise the eligibility of whāngai as legal descendants and recipients of membership benefit equal to any other registered members. - Identification of your Ngāti Whanaunga descent through your parent, your grandparent and your great grandparent (i.e. 3 generations). - Identification of your shareholding in Ngāti Whanaunga landholdings or a beneficial interest (i.e. a benefactor of a parent s shareholding)