Professor Margaret Mutu and her Ngati Kahu kinsmen in the Far North have occupied one of the farms in dispute
Professor Margaret Mutu and her Ngati Kahu kinsmen in the Far North have occupied one of the farms in dispute
KEY POINTS:
The Government has widened the scope of the review into Landcorp land sales, but it is unclear if it will address the issues behind Maori occupations of Landcorp farms.
The Government yesterday said it would also review the policies and processes for the disposal of all land heldby state-owned enterprises, Crown entities or Government departments.
Three Landcorp farms on the market are occupied by Maori Treaty of Waitangi claimant groups who have yet to reach a settlement.
They are in the Far North, the Coromandel and the central North Island.
The Government moved last week to halt the sales pending a review of the sales process.
Yesterday, State Owned Enterprises Minister Trevor Mallard announced the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet would co-ordinate the reviews, with involvement from the Treasury and other departments.
Maori have told the Herald one of the reasons for the land occupations today dates back to a win in the Court of Appeal 20 years ago when the then Labour Government of David Lange was privatising huge amounts of land held by the new state-owned enterprises.
That resulted in the 27B memorial protection mechanism that allows disputed land to be protected for Maori and returned even if sold privately.
Mr Mallard said 27B was not a focus of the current review.
"This is about how should the Government make decisions about land which is disposed of [and] what land should be disposed of."
Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia expressed concern that "demand for these properties could result in private sales which may forever impede access to important sites by Maori and other New Zealanders."
