ROLE AND FUNCTION OF THE BOARD
The Maniapoto Mäori Trust Board (the Board) was established under the Maniapoto Mäori Trust Board Act 1988 (the Act). Unlike Mäori Trust Boards established under the Mäori Trust Boards Act 1955 (TB Act) the Board was one of six incorporated under their own legislation to participate in the then Labour government's policy to devolve to Mäori the responsibility for administering and implementing social and economic programmes under the Rünanga Iwi Act 1989. Unfortunately the Rünanga Iwi Act was repealed by the 1990 National government.
Despite this, the role and function of the Board has been set down in the Act and this gives the Board the legal mandate to work on behalf of, and represent, the "Maniapoto Tribe". That is, the Board is the only existing governance entity for Ngäti Maniapoto and the legal voice of the iwi. This means that the Board is the only iwi authority in Ngäti Maniapoto that can represent Ngäti Maniapoto in national matters affecting iwi Mäori such as the fisheries settlement.
Under the Act the Board is accountable to the Minister of Mäori Affairs and not the beneficiaries of the Board; therefore the Board does not have the political mandate of the people, except in the sense that board members are elected by the people and all Marae have a voice on the Board through their elected Regional Management Committee representatives.
The Act has 9 provisions. Section 4(1) invokes and applies all other provisions in the MMTB Act. Section 4(1) sates that the Maniapoto Mäori Trust Board is a Mäori Trust Board within the meaning of the Mäori Tust Boards Act 1955 (the TB Act). This means that the provisions of the TB Act apply to the Maniapoto Mäori Trust Board subject to the Maniapoto Mäori Trust Board Act.
Section 24(1) of the Act sets out the key functions of the Board. The first is "to administer its assets in accordance with the provisions of the Act for the general benefit of its beneficiaries" and that it may use its financial resources for the following:
- The provision of health;
- The promotion of social and economic welfare; and
- The promotion of education and vocational training.
Statistics maintain that a large section of Ngäti Maniapoto people continue to occupy a low socio-economic position, and to help improve their well-being the Board has taken an holistic approach to health, employment, eductation, housing, social services, land claims, kaumätua and rangatahi.