March 28, 2017
Ngati Paoa Kaihautu, Hauauru Rawiri on Paakiwaha
Ngati Paoa Kaihautu, Hauauru Rawiri on Paakiwaha
Media Release March 24 2017
Labour stance on Pt England pits it against Tāmaki Makaurau iwi
Ngati Paoa has invited Labour to meet with it again over the Pt England Enabling Bill.
Hauauru Rawiri, Kaihautū (CEO) of Ngati Paoa Iwi Trust and co-negotiator of the iwi’s Treaty of Waitangi Settlement, says Labour has got it wrong and is being hypocritical.
“The Bill is Treaty settlement legislation,” Mr Rawiri says. “For Ngāti Paoa to regain ownership and control of significant customary land at Te Tauoma is central to the historical Treaty settlement between the Crown and Ngāti Paoa.
“Without this land there will be no Treaty settlement between the Crown and Ngāti Paoa. By opposing the legislation Labour is opposing a Treaty settlement Bill – for the first time in the history of the Treaty settlement process.
“The Labour Party position seems to be that Ngāti Paoa is being duped by the Government to advance its housing programme. This is a supremely patronizing and condescending attitude that reflects poorly on its proponents.
“Ngāti Paoa is going into this deal with our eyes wide open and more importantly our mana intact. We deliberately sought this land for housing development because it is close to our marae site.
“The Labour Party also argues that this is a reserve and that reserves should not be available as commercial redress in Treaty settlements. However, Labour had no such objections five years ago, when another Tāmaki Makaurau Treaty settlement included the transfer of reserve land at Fort Takapuna to that hapu as commercial redress. Labour would do well to reflect on why it now appears to be exercising double standards by favouring one iwi at the expense of another.”
Ngāti Paoa points out Point England Reserve has for decades been a public space in name only. Much of it has been under-utilised by the public, neglected and fenced off by successive councils. Ngāti Paoa wants to restore the land and its waterways, to rebuild a vibrant community, provide space through a new marae that is available to the whole community and housing that is affordable for local people.
Mr Rawiri says the argument that other land is available is not true: “Tāmaki Regeneration Company (TRC) land is not Crown land and is not available for Treaty redress.
“All other iwi in Tāmaki Makaurau support this transfer,” he says. “Opposing the Bill pits the Labour Party against mana whenua of Auckland.
“We urge the Labour representatives of the Māori electorates to persuade your colleagues to reverse their position on the Bill. If you are unable to do this, then we invite you to vote in favour of this Bill anyway; in favour of durable Treaty settlements, in favour of mana motuhake, iwi rangatiratanga, iwi, Māori and community development; of environmental restoration and genuinely affordable housing.”
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