22 April 2015

Iwi collective to buy Corrections land

The Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust and six other Tūwharetoa entities will buy about 8500ha of land from the Crown in the central North Island, Corrections Minister Peseta Sam-Lotu-Iiga has announced.

The Central North Island Forest Collective Settlement deed which was signed by the Crown and eight central North Island iwi in 2008 granted the iwi collective the right to purchase Crown-owned land from Corrections.

The Tongariro-Rangipo Corrections Facility sits on approximately 8500ha of land which includes the Hautu prison farm near Turangi. The iwi group paid about $20 million for the land and the price paid for the forestry crop on the land is subject to commercial confidentiality.

“This is a significant event for the iwi involved and we are extremely pleased to be returning this important land,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

“The deal, which has been in negotiation since 2008, is an example of the co-operation between the Crown and iwi to ensure that the guardianship of culturally important land is handed to those it means most to.

“Although the sale is a commercial agreement the land includes several wāhi tapu and two rivers important to the iwi. The sale will provide the iwi involved with the resources to assist their economic, social and cultural development,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

Under the terms of the sale, Corrections will retain the prison buildings and ancillary buildings and lease the land under them, together with about 700ha for a training farm, from the Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust.

Corrections and the trust signed the sale and purchase agreement on 17 April and the deal will be formalised at a ceremony on 30 June.

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