Press Release

POTENTIAL THREAT TO SINGAPOREAN INVESTMENT BY MAORI

Singaporean investment may be violently targeted say Maori Independence supporters if the Singaporean and New Zealand governments fail to include Maori formally in the current negotiations of a Free Trade Agreement.

Under the Treaty of Waitangi the New Zealand government must share the negotiation of international agreements with Maori. To date the Government has failed to fulfill this provision and is therefore in breach of the Treaty of Waitangi.

International agreements such as the Multilateral Agreement on Investment that impact on the land, resources and the Treaty of Waitangi have continually resulted in mass protest and the direct destabilisation of investment after the New Zealand government's failure to hold meaningful discussions with Maori.

"The NO to the MAI agreement was a NO to all these types of free dealing agreements, We have nothing left to lose. If meaningful dialogue does not take place action will be imminent" says one Maori Independence supporter.

The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement between New Zealand and Singapore is experiencing delays following Singapore's concerns over Treaty of Waitangi issues; concerns that Maori Independence supporters say are justified.

For further comment contact: Matire Ropiha: Matire.Ropiha@vuw.ac.nz Ph 021 1177978 C/ Ngai Tauira, Maori Students Association of Victoria University, Student Union Building, Po Box 600, Wellington. Aotearoa - New Zealand

ENDS

© Scoop Media