28 June 2002

“The Treaty Industry’s vice-like grip on New Zealand has never been more patently absurd than with the postponement of tree planting on Auckland’s One Tree Hill because of an outstanding Treaty claim,” New Zealand First Leader Winston Peters said.

“Let us acknowledge genuine grievances, let us deal with the matters expeditiously, let us sort out the compensation and see that it gets to the right people, and let us get on with our lives.

“New Zealanders, Maori and non Maori alike, are sick to death of the hurdles being put in front of us by this Treaty madness. So, we can’t plant a tree where there surely was one at the time of the claim? Authorities had to go through days and dollars of hearings for resource consent to take down the damaged tree. Now they have to go to the Waitangi Tribunal to put one up! The absurd just got absurder,” Mr. Peters said.

ENDS

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