March 24, 2017
Harawira blasts Te Ture Whenua Maori Bill
Mana leader Hone Harawira has launched a blistering attack on the Maori Party’s flagship Maori land law reform.
He says the Ture Whenua Maori Bill is an ugly and crude attempt to cut away the remaining protections over Maori land.
It will strip the mana of the Maori Land Court, transfer its powers to a government agency, and deny Maori the right to appeal the agency’s decisions.
Land records which have been held with the Maori Land Court for more than 100 years will be handed over to Land Information New Zealand and be harder and more expensive for Maori land owners to access.
He warns new corporate structures and rules making it easier to partition land will make it easier for foreigners to get their hands on Maori land.
Mr Harawira says while Maori people have had their battles with the Maori Land Court over the years, they could find comfort in the fact the people who work there are Maori and understand what they are going through, decisions could be appealed, and judges try to get the parties to resolve differences rather than impose rulings that satisfy no-one.
Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri, who has been a vocal opponent of the bill, says the attack shows the pre-election deal where the Maori Party gave Mr Harawira a clear run against Labour’s Kelvin Davis in Te Taitokerau was cynical and insincere, and the alliance is now falling to pieces.
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