Release: Competency of Minister and Department Questioned by Maori Party

Te Ururoa Flavell, Treaty Spokesperson and Member for Waiariki

Friday 9 March 2007

Maori Party Treaty Spokesperson Te Ururoa Flavell, today was critical of the delays and incompetence meted out to whanau, hapu and iwi across the motu, by the various arms of Government and its agency in their mis-management of Maori land.

Mr Flavell was speaking out in light of the announcements by State Owned Enterprises Minister Trevor Mallard about the proposed review of the procedures for disposal of land.

“Last May, I asked questions in the House and indeed met with the Minister for State Owned Enterprises regarding the proposed sale by Landcorp of the Taurewa sheep station, which was part of the seven Tawhi North and Okahukura Maori land blocks taken by the Crown in 1854” said Mr Flavell.

“And yet it wasn’t until last week, ten months later that CE Chris Kelly apologised to Te Whanau o Taurewa, stating that Landcorp did not know the land should have been offered back to the original owners under the Public Works Act” said Mr Flavell.

“This week, our co-leader, Tariana Turia visited Taranaki hapu, Ngati Tamaahuroa and Titahi, who were forced to move on to their tribal lands, when Te Kiri School was put up for sale without any word to the original owners”.

“Although the Ministry of Education also apologized for their mistake, again it was after the event (and after the headline)”.

“At Hauraki, again, the Landcorp Chair, Jim Sutton, admitted that were not aware that there was a claim on that land – only after the iwi had moved to repossess Whenuakite Station”.

“In another case – Dr Sharples has been raising the plight of Awatere School in Te Araroa for over a year now. Those people are also seeking to have the lands that were given for education purposes returned to the original owners – but are still no further ahead.

“These are, of course, just a few examples of delays and ineptitute by the Crown” said Mr Flavell. "The concern is - do we really the scale of what we are dealing with?"

"And all this, even despite the $5.2 million allocated in the 2006 Budget to help OTS get on top of its game - that's a pretty high cost for incompetence" said Mr Flavell. "They should be red-carded out!"

“The thing is – the people play by due process while the Crown plays by whatever rules it wants to set for itself” said Mr Flavell.

“New Zealanders believed that the land-banking process was one in which surplus Crown properties are landbanked for potential use in a Treaty settlement on the basis of good faith” said Mr Flavell.

“But the reality is – land-banking is only about the land that the Office of Treaty Settlements deems to be important”.

“You have to wonder – what other pieces of land have been hocked off?” said Mr Flavell. “And why is it only now that this complete reversal kicks in?”

“We could say it is a victory for the people – as indeed it is” said Mr Flavell. “But not so fast….let us just think of all the settlements; all the negotiations that have gone on around our sites of cultural significance”.

“There was an expectation that these negotiations have been conducted in a fair and robust manner” said Mr Flavell. “Instead it appears the Government has been more concerned about the politics and the public perception than it has the process”.

“While we are pleased that it has become a hot issue now – and today’s announcement is a major win for Maori – we have to wonder – why does it take so much to get any movement?”

“Why did it have to take the activity of the last few weeks, before finally iwi can get fair play? Or is this another ploy from the Beehive which tangata whenua are now referring to as the "house of honeyed deceit" ended Mr Flavell.

Importance of Today

"It is also an important day for such an announcement to come out, because the Crown has been in front of the Waitangi Tribunal - responding to the claims that it didn't even follow its own process, which has resulted in some Te Arawa claimants taking their issues back to the Tribunal on at least three different occasions" said Mr Flavell, MP for Waiariki.

"As I understand it the central issues have been about the Crown forcing an unsound mandate on some claimants and misrecognising their cross-claims - issues which are of course essential to the negotiating principle of good faith" said Mr Flavell .

"In fact, I am advised that at the Te Arawa hearing today, the Crown witness admitted that the Minister in Charge of Treaty Negotiations was not sufficiently briefed on critical matters of importance to the claim - so that subsequently, officials, not the Minister, have been making key decisions".

"You can take it that the Maori Party will be taking a very strong stand in the House next week, in questioning the Minister about these matters" said Mr Flavell.

"These are critical issues which have caused serious and long-lasting divisions - which didn't need to happen".

"The Government must take full responsibility for this divide and rule tactic. It is obvious that no iwi can have confidence in this Minister - nor the policies of this Government- used in treaty settlements" ended Mr Flavell.

ends

© Scoop Media