Whakat�hea Kotahitanga Waka (Edwards) v Te K�hui Takutai Moana O Ng� Wh�nau Me Ng� Hap� O Te Whakat�hea

[2024] NZSC 33

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW ZEALAND

I TE KŌTI MANA NUI O AOTEAROA

 SC 121/2023
SC 123/2023
SC 124/2023
SC 125/2023
SC 126/2023
SC 127/2023
SC 128/2023
SC 129/2023
 [2024] NZSC 33

BETWEEN	WHAKATŌHEA KOTAHITANGA WAKA (EDWARDS) NGĀTI MURIWAI HAPŪ KUTARERE MARAE TE ŪPOKOREHE TREATY CLAIMS TRUST ON BEHALF OF TE ŪPOKOREHE IWI ATTORNEY-GENERAL CROWN REGIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED TE KĀHUI TAKUTAI MOANA O NGĀ WHĀNAU ME NGĀ HAPŪ O TE WHAKATŌHEA NGĀTI RUATAKENGA Applicants
AND	TE KĀHUI TAKUTAI MOANA O NGĀ WHĀNAU ME NGĀ HAPŪ O TE WHAKATŌHEA WHAKATŌHEA MĀORI TRUST BOARD NGĀI TAI AND RIRIWHENUA HAPŪ TE ŪPOKOREHE TREATY CLAIMS TRUST ON BEHALF OF TE ŪPOKOREHE IWI TE RŪNANGA O NGĀTI AWA WHAKATŌHEA KOTAHITANGA WAKA (EDWARDS) NGĀTI RUATAKENGA LANDOWNERS COALITION INCORPORATED NGĀTI MURIWAI HAPŪ KUTARERE MARAE TE RŪNANGA O TE WHĀNAU ON BEHALF OF TE WHĀNAU-Ā-APANUI BAY OF PLENTY REGIONAL COUNCIL CROWN REGIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED ŌPŌTIKI DISTRICT COUNCIL SEAFOOD INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES WHAKATĀNE DISTRICT COUNCIL Respondents
AND	ATTORNEY-GENERAL TE RŪNANGA O TE WHĀNAU ON BEHALF OF TE WHĀNAU-Ā-APANUI SEAFOOD INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES CROWN REGIONAL HOLDINGS LIMITED ŌPŌTIKI DISTRICT COUNCIL BAY OF PLENTY REGIONAL COUNCIL WHAKATĀNE DISTRICT COUNCIL LANDOWNERS COALITION INCORPORATED TE RŪNANGA O NGĀTI AWA Interested Parties

Court:	Glazebrook, Ellen France and Williams JJ
Counsel:	R J B Fowler KC and B M Cunningham for Whakatōhea Kotahitanga Waka (Edwards) M J Sharp for Ngāti Muriwai Hapū and Kutarere Marae J S Cooper KC, B R Lyall and H L B Swedlund for Te Ūpokorehe Treaty Claims Trust on behalf of Te Ūpokorehe Iwi G L Melvin and Y Moinfar-Yong for Attorney-General M H Hill for Crown Regional Holdings Ltd and Ōpōtiki District Council K S Feint KC, A T I Sykes, T H Bennion, M S Smith and C M T Linstead-Panoho for Te Kāhui Takutai Moana o Ngā Whānau me Ngā Hapū o Te Whakatōhea K S Feint KC and N A T Udy for Ngāti Ruatakenga No appearance for Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, Ngāi Tai and Ririwhenua Hapū, and Landowners Coalition Inc D M Salmon KC, H K Irwin‑Easthope and R K Douglas for Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa M K Mahuika and N R Coates for Te Rūnanga o Te Whānau on behalf of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui R M Boyte for Bay of Plenty Regional Council B A Scott, T D Smith and R J J Wales for Seafood Industry Representatives A M B Green and E S Greensmith-West for Whakatāne District Council
Judgment:	17 April 2024

JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

The applications for leave to appeal are granted (Whakatōhea Kotahitanga Waka (Edwards) v Te Kāhui and Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board [2023] NZCA 504) on the question of the correctness of the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

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REASONS

1. Leave to appeal has been granted in general terms.  However, following release of this judgment there will be consultation with the parties with a view to refining the

issues on which the Court is particularly interested.  It may be that the terms of leave will be amended after that consultation.

Solicitors:
Ngātahi Law, Auckland for Whakatōhea Kotahitanga Waka (Edwards)
Te Aro Law, Wellington for Te Ūpokorehe Treaty Claims Trust on behalf of Te Ūpokorehe Iwi
Whāia Legal, Wellington for Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa
Te Haa Legal, Ōtaki for Ngāti Muriwai Hapū and Kutarere Marae
Annette Sykes & Co, Rotorua for Te Kāhui Takutai Moana o Ngā Whānau me Ngā Hapū o Te Whakatōhea and Ngāti Ruatakenga
Te Tari Ture o te Karauna | Crown Law Office, Wellington for Attorney-General
Kāhui Legal, Wellington for Te Rūnanga o Te Whānau on behalf of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui
Chapman Tripp, Wellington for Seafood Industry Representatives
Cooney Lees Morgan, Tauranga for Crown Regional Holdings Ltd, Ōpōtiki District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council

Brookfields Lawyers, Auckland for Whakatāne District Council