Motiti iwi representatives are in urgent talks with the Waitangi Tribunal over the hapu's claim to have the Rena wreck fully removed from Astrolabe Reef.

Ngai Te Hapu representative Buddy Mikaere says iwi hope to have their claim for full removal resolved by March, but things are stalling due to what he alleges are documents between the Government and Rena owners and insurers being kept confidential.

The containership Rena struck the Astrolabe Reef, about 25km off the coast of Tauranga, on October 5, 2011. The ship leaked more than 350 tonnes of heavy fuel oil into the environment and broke up, spilling containers and cargo into the ocean, washing up on beaches across the Bay of Plenty.

Parts of the wreck have been removed with the bow section cut to one metre below the high tide, while the sunken aft section remains underwater on the reef.

Buddy says two years down the track and the wreck is still on the reef with the owners publicly stating they intend to seek resource consents to leave it there.

'We would like to have it dealt with before the company lodges its application to leave it there which we know they are going to do,” says Buddy.

Last October, Motiti iwi Te Patuwai, known as Ngai Te Hapu, attended a judicial hearing at the Waitangi Tribunal in Wellington discussing the application for an urgent hearing of the iwi's claim.

The claim seeks to recommend the Government enforce the removal notice issued by Maritime New Zealand to the owners of the Rena in October 2011.

But Buddy alleges in the course of preparing for the claim, iwi found out about three confidential agreements signed between the Crown and the owners.

In November, Buddy told SunLive some of the details leaked from another source allege if the Government helps the owners to be able to leave the wreck on the reef, they will then pay the Government another $10 million dollars.

And by holding these documents in confidential, Buddy says the Waitangi Tribunal cannot go ahead as all hearings are within the public domain.

'But there is a judicial conference coming up early next month on the issues of the confidentiality of these documents and how they are going to be dealt with.

'We can only have a proper enquiry if these documents are not to be confidential.”

The Tribunal can only make recommendations to the Government. But there is a section of the Resource Management Act, that requires the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Government to take into account the Treaty of Waitangi when making decisions, says Buddy.

Also under discussion is the hapu appeal against the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's proposal to downgrade the Astrolabe Reef's environmental status in the draft Coastal Management Plan.

The Environment Court says the issue is linked with the Rena owners and insurers application to leave the wreck on the reef, so they will be part of the same hearing.

Motiti Islanders are also applying to the New Zealand Historic Places Trust to have the reef declared a Waahi Tapu, or sacred site.