■We have carefully considered the text of The Anglican Communion Covenant, and what we know of the context in which it was proposed;

■In terms of our shared Mihingare and Anglican heritage, our call to communion, and our call to ministry and mission, the Covenant offers us nothing new or more compelling than the Spiritual Covenant that we already have with each other through faith in Jesus Christ;

■We see that Section Four of The Anglican Communion Covenant propose measures of compliance and discipline - including "relational consequences" and being declared "incompatible with the Covenant" - that go against our Gospel imperative to "love one another" (John 13:34-35).

We note that our sister Amorangi, Te Hui Amorangi o Te Manawa o Te Wheke, has stated its opposition to The Anglican Communion Covenantbecause:

■It is a threat to the rangatiratanga of the Tangata Whenua;

■It does not reflect our understanding of being Anglican in these Islands; and

■We should instead focus on the restoration of justice for Tangata Whenua under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

We agree with Te Hui Amorangi o Te Manawa o Te Wheke, and choose here to stand in solidarity with them.

For the reasons expressed above, Te Hui Amorangi o Te Tairawhiti states that it is opposed to the adoption of The Anglican Communion Covenant.

MOVED: Rev Don Tamihere SECONDED: Rev Connie Tuheke-Ferris

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY WITH ACCLAMATION

Mihingare = missionary; mission

Since 1992, the Constitution of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia provides for three Tikanga (cultural streams) partners to order their affairs within their own cultural context: Tikanga Maori (the indigenous people of Aotearoa-New Zealand); Tikanga Pakeha (those here by virtue of te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi); Tikanga Pasefika (encompassing the episcopal units of Polynesia in New Zealand, Vanua Levu and Taveuni, and Viti Levu West, and the Archdeaconries of Suva and Ovalau, Samoa and American Samoa, and Tonga).

When significant decisions are made at te Hinota Whanui/General Synod, as with other Anglican Provinces, there must be agreement across all houses - here those are the house of bishops, clergy, and laity. There must also be agreement across all Tikanga. In other words, even if Tikanga Pakeha and Tikanga Pasefica are in majority agreement in favour of the Covenant, if Tikanga Maori votes against the Covenant, the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia would be saying no to the Covenant.

END