Māori Affairs Committee

For release: 26 September

Public to have their say on the New Plymouth District Council (Waitara Lands) Bill

Public submissions are now open on the Waitara Lands Bill, which is being considered by Parliament’s Māori Affairs Committee.

The New Plymouth District Council currently owns about 163 hectares of Waitara land that was originally confiscated by the Crown in 1865. To mitigate some of the issues arising from the management of the land, including issues raised by Te Atiawa iwi and leaseholders, this bill seeks to remove some of the restrictions on the Council’s use of the income and proceeds of sale.

If passed, the bill would allow half of the income from the land to go to the Taranaki Regional Council, with the other half held in a fund managed by a Board with equal Council and Te Atiawa representation. The Council would keep its right to sell the land, but only to existing leaseholders. The land would be vested in the trustees of the Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Trust, and those trustees would be given a right of first refusal in the land.

Have your say to the Māori Affairs Committee and tell them what you think

Send your submission on the bill by midnight on Monday 7 November 2016.

For more details about the bill, visit the Parliament website:

• Read more about the New Plymouth District Council (Waitara Lands) Bill

• Visit the Māori Affairs Committee’s Facebook page

ENDS

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