The government have signed an agreement with eight iwi of Taranaki in parliament which will see Mt Taranaki become a legal personality.
The Record of Understanding over collective cultural redress allows joint responsibility of the mountain shared between local Maori and the government.
The Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little said yesterday, "this is a great day for the people of Taranaki.
"As a New Plymouth local I grew up under the gaze of the maunga so I’m particularly pleased with the respect accorded to local tangata whenua and the legal protection and personality given to the mountain.
"The Record of Understanding outlines the broad terms including repealing the Mount Egmont Vesting Act, and giving legal personality and the creation of a joint Crown-Iwi governance entity for the area within the National Park.
Mr Little said the agreement is "a major step towards implementing seven individual Treaty settlements signed in Taranaki over the past 20 years."
"The Crown and Ngāti Maru ki Taranaki have also signed an Agreement in Principle today, paving the way for their Deed of Settlement which will bring Treaty settlements for the Taranaki region to a conclusion.
"Today's agreements are a major milestone in acknowledging the grievances and hurt from the past as the Taranaki iwi experienced some of the worst examples of Crown behaviour in the 19th Century."
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