Waiariki MP pleased at protection of land under claim

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell is pleased the issues he raised with the government two years ago, over the planned sale of Taurewa Station by Landcorp, are close to being resolved.

“The farm, near Tongariro National Park, has now been covered by the new protection mechanisms for land under claim. The Associate Minister for Treaty Negotiations confirmed that yesterday. That is great news,” said Mr Flavell.

“The new protection mechanisms were devised as a result of arguments raised by tangata whenua, which the Maori Party brought up in Parliament. In March 2006 I first questioned the government about the sale of Taurewa Station, which was under claim by tangata whenua.

“Within a year, there were other properties, including Rangiputa in the Far North, and Whenuakite on the Coromandel peninsula, occupied by claimants to protect their rights,” he said.

“It turned out the government’s procedures had broken down, and the Office of Treaty Settlements had not land-banked the properties as it should have. Hence the new protection mechanisms.

“It is good to see that direct action by tangata whenua, combined with strong advocacy in Parliament, has held the line at least in the case of Taurewa Station.

“The final outcome of the claims has yet to be resolved – but at least the option of returning the land remains open in the meantime,” said Mr Flavell.