The Department of Conservation (DoC) paid almost $500 in airfares for activist Tame Iti to take part in consultation over a visitors centre but its minister did not order the payment, Parliament was told yesterday.
A letter tabled in the House from the Director-General of Conservation, Hugh Logan, said that DoC paid $473 for a return airfare from Auckland to Gisborne so Mr Iti could take part in a discussion about displays at the Aniwaniwa Visitor Centre in the Urewera National Park.
The discussions between the department, members of the visitor centre committee, local people and other interested parties were over the display of a mural by artist Colin McCahon, and traditional and contemporary Tuhoe art.
"It was considered a cost-effective arrangement to resolve outstanding issues and this was achieved," Mr Logan said.
DoC's East Coast/Hawkes Bay conservator, Peter Williamson, arranged for Mr Iti's attendance and Conservation Minister Sandra Lee was not involved, the director-general said.
During question time in Parliament, National conservation spokesman Nick Smith asked if DoC had paid Mr Iti for "any contract, consultancy services or travel expenses, or paid for any travel taken by Mr Iti since December 1999."
Acting Prime Minister Jim Anderton, responding on Ms Lee's behalf, said the department had never sought any contract, consultancy or travel for Mr Iti but Mr Williamson had authorised payment of the airfare.
Dr Smith questioned whether paying for Mr Iti to attend was appropriate when "local iwi, local tangata whenua, have in a series of letters complained that they have not been consulted."
Mr Anderton said Ms Lee had nothing to do with the decision.
"The minister at no time gave any instruction to [DoC] about the purchase of anything from Mr Iti or any payment to Mr Iti."
Ms Lee came under fire last month over plans to set up exclusive tangata whenua sites in the park and to spend $260,000 upgrading a road which leads to land owned partly by Mr Iti's family.
Ms Lee gave instructions that the road was to be upgraded despite being told that its condition was not a Conservation problem.
She said at the time that she was trying to avert another Cave Creek tragedy by upgrading the road and bridges.
She also said that National had set a precedent when it established such tangata whenua sites, known as nohoanga, in its settlement of the Ngai Tahu Treaty of Waitangi claim.
Dr Smith has claimed Mr Iti has influence over the minister.
- NZPA
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