By CATHY ARONSON and NZPA
HAMILTON - Hamilton's multimillion-dollar science park is being delayed because Tainui cannot move to sell land without a functioning executive.
The Waikato is in a race to build New Zealand's first "innovation park" to house top science research firms linked with Waikato University. Other universities have similar proposals.
The Waikato Technology Foundation has finally developed business and building plans, 12 years after the idea was mooted, but now faces a delay because the Tainui tribe's executive, Tekaumarua, is powerless to make a decision to sell 20ha in Ruakura near the university.
The executive has only six members, not enough to make a quorum, after a wrangle between the executive, Sir Robert Mahuta, the Maori Queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu, and the Tainui parliament (Te Kauhanganui o Waikato).
Tekaumarua claims that the voting procedure used to sack it at a meeting of the tribe's 183-member parliament was wrong.
The High Court at Hamilton granted an interim injunction to restore the executive's financial powers until the matter goes back to the High Court this month.
Technology foundation chairman and university vice-chancellor Professor Bryan Gould says the foundation needs an answer on the land soon because prospective tenants need a set timeline for the Innovation Park's opening.
But Professor Gould said the foundation would wait for the outcome of the court hearing before pursuing other land.
The Tainui land, opposite the university tennis courts, was ideal because of its proximity to the university and AgResearch.
Tainui senior legal adviser Shane Solomon was unavailable for comment, but a source close to Tainui says the land is not among assets the tribe has earmarked for immediate sale.
The source says Tainui is unwilling to sell the land as it considers it a valuable asset.
Professor Gould said he did not believe that there was division over the land but rather that the executive was legally unable to make a ruling.
"There are internal decision-making difficulties, and they are not under any pressure to turn down money. At the same time, the sale of land is always a big issue, but at least if we have a clear answer we can begin to pursue other avenues."
Professor Gould said the foundation was not set on becoming the first in the country to build an innovation park, because New Zealand could do with four, but it would like to secure its tenants.
The foundation would like to begin building before the end of the year and be open by mid-2001.
Professor Gould would not say how many tenants had shown an interest but said the signs were hopeful. He said the Waikato had already established itself as a region for research firms as 20 to 25 per cent of research scientists were concentrated in the Waikato.
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