March 29, 2017
Flavell defends Point England sell off
Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says the Point England Development Enabling Bill must be seen as part of Ngati Paoa’s treaty settlement because of the opportunity it gives the iwi.
Labour says it will vote against the bill because of the precedent it sets.
The bill will allow Ngati Paoa to buy 11 hectares of reserve on which it intends to develop 300 homes.
Mr Flavell says he can’t understand why Labour is opposed to something that addresses housing needs.
"We’re absolutely behind Ngati Paoa, and this is simply about the ability to move to purchase, because if they don 't it will be moved on to the Tamaki Collective, which is a bit wider than that, and if they don't it will be handed on to possibly private developers if in fact that reserve status is lifted through this piece of legislation, so it's a treaty settlement," he says.
Mr Flavell says the land Ngati Paoa wants is about a quarter of the total reserve, and the development will enhance community facilities in the area.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH TE URUROA FLAVELL
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