Peters has questions on Ihumatao decision
AUCKLAND: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who is in Tokyo, would not say yesterday whether the Government would step in and buy the disputed land in South Auckland.
After weeks of discussions, mana whenua have come to a decision — they want the Government to negotiate with Fletcher Building to return the land at Ihumatao.
‘‘At this stage, our focus is on picking up the good work being done by Kiingitanga,’’ Ms Ardern said.
‘‘We are very mindful of important issues like Treaty precedentsetting . . . like the commercial interests that exist there, but also heritage issues as well.’’
Acting Prime Minister Winston Peters told RNZ yesterday all political parties in Parliament and iwi had accepted the Treaty of Waitangi settlements.
‘‘That has consequences,’’ he said. As someone who had been involved in Maori land law back in the 1970s, he said it was fundamental to listen to those who had ‘‘kept the land warm down through the centuries and even today’’.
‘‘Who has been keeping the land warm? Those are the people that we’re going to listen to.’’
He said he read the Kiingitanga announcement very carefully.
‘‘If it means they have come to a collective decision when the responsibility lies with someone else, then have you collectively come to a decision?’’
His understanding was that the decision announced on Wednesday had not taken into account everyone’s views.
He said before the Government made a move, it would have to look at whether it was setting a precedent for all Treaty settlements.
‘‘We’ve got to go into these things eyes wide open in the national interest of all New Zealanders.’’
Mr Peters said the land at Ihumatao was the result of the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process.
‘‘We always knew this was part of the Treaty process.’’
He said mana whenua had come under enormous pressure from people claiming to speak for them.
‘‘What’s in the best interests of the people there, be it their social needs which include housing, papakainga housing or Fletcher housing, was always going to be critical unless you don’t think housing is a critical area of need of Maoridom today.’’
The land near Auckland Airport has been occupied by members of the Save Our Unique Landscape (Soul) group for almost three years, to oppose building 480 houses there.
Soul member Qiane MatataSipu told RNZ yesterday all mana whenua wanted the land returned.
‘‘It seems that Winston Peters is miseducated as to what this whenua is and what’s happening to it.
‘‘It has never been settled. It has never been part of a Treaty settlement.
‘‘It’s a cultural heritage issue. It’s a unique piece of landscape with layers of history.’’
She said if this process brought about changes in Treaty settlements then change was good.
‘‘Our goal was to stop this development and have the whenua returned.’’
Kiingitanga and mana whenua urged the Government on Wednesday to negotiate with Fletcher Building to give the land back.
Kiingitanga spokesman Rahui Papa had said when the Kiingitanga initially supported the Fletcher development, a lot of whanau had been talking about wanting housing and papakainga.
Fletcher Building, which owns the land, said in a statement it would seek urgent discussions with all parties to inform their position.
‘‘Six weeks ago the Prime Minister requested that Fletcher Building put a hold on our housing development to allow time for discussions between government and iwi to take place.
‘‘We have not been a party to those discussions and we are disappointed to see they have not produced a resolution.’’ — RNZ