KEY POINTS:
Auckland iwi are getting the jitters over how the Government's home-affordability plans will affect their Treaty of Waitangi settlements.
This week, Prime Minister Helen Clark said the Government would move to correct an under-supply of housing by opening up Crown land, such as a 3000-home development in Hobsonville,
for first-home buyers and those on modest incomes.
The commitment is worrying Tamaki Makaurau iwi, who are already angry about being sidelined during negotiations for the Government's $90 million cash and land settlement with the city's dominant tribe, Ngati Whatua.
One of those iwi, Ngai Tai, said they had an uneasy feeling that land could potentially be marked for development, while they weren't even at the negotiating table to sort out their claim.
A spokesman for Ngai Tai Umupuia Te Waka Totara Trust, Laurie Beamish, said he wanted the Government to meet iwi and talk through how the plan would affect Treaty settlements.
"I would say it is of major concern. The areas that are still under review or land-banked for future settlements are now being touted by the Government possibly as involved in this process. Because of a total lack of consultation, the alarm bells are ringing.
"What are we left with?"
The Government should proceed with caution, Mr Beamish said. "It has the potential to create new grievance before the old ones are settled."
Hauraki confederation Marutuahu also has unsettled interests in Auckland.
Lawyer Paul Majurey said any reduction to the "paltry" amount of settlement land would be worrying to all iwi.
"As a general principle it's well known that Crown land is one of the few assets made available for settlements because private and so far [Department of Conservation] land isn't part of the process."
Iwi might have to look at other Crown assets if land wasn't available, Mr Majurey said.
However, the Government believes there is more than enough land to go around.
A spokesman for Treaty Negotiations Minister Michael Cullen said that with 17 properties totalling 19.3ha land-banked, there was enough in Auckland to settle Treaty claims - and that was in addition to other additional Crown-owned land in the area that could also be used.
Settlement issues would be taken into account during the Government review of public land in Auckland, he said.
"This initiative will require a comprehensive review of Crown land in Auckland and all Treaty settlement issues will need to be considered as part of the review.
"Consultation with Maori will be an important part of the process."
