Thousands of people have gathered at Tuhoe headquarters in Taneatua today for the official Tuhoe-Crown settlement.

The Tuhoe Claims Settlement Bill and the Te Urewera Bill passed its third reading in parliament on July 24.

Thousands of people have gathered for the Crown apology in Taneatua today.

At the hui in Taneatua today, Tuhoe received a formal apology from Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson, as part of the iwi's treaty settlement.

The apology was scheduled for 11.30am and was to be followed by a banquet at 1pm.

The new bills will see the historical grievances of Ngai Tuhoe settled and the establishment of a new legal identity and new governance arrangement for Te Urewera.

The Tuhoe Claims Settlement Bill provides financial and culture redress of $170 million [which includes Tuhoe's share of the Central North Island Forests Land Collective Settlement]; Mana Motuhake redress to improve relationships between Tuhoe and the Crown and the delivery of government and iwi services in Tuhoe communities; and the return of culturally significant sites and other cultural redress.

Christopher Finlayson says these bills settle the historical claims of Tuhoe, who suffered some of the worst breaches by the Crown in the country's history, involving large scale confiscation, brutal military campaigns targeting Tuhoe settlements, and unjust land purchases.

'The Tuhoe Claims Settlement Bill sets out Crown acknowledgements of this history for all New Zealanders to learn about and learn from. It enshrines in legislation an apology for the Crown's grievous actions.”

Te Urewera Bill replaces the National Parks Act 1980 as the primary legislation providing for the governance and management of Te Urewera. This means the Crown will no longer own Te Urewera.

It gives effect to redress provided for in the historical settlement agreed by the Crown and Tuhoe.