The Government's public delivery of a Rotorua lakes settlement offer to Te Arawa is being criticised by National's Treaty Negotiations spokeswoman Georgina te Heuheu.
She said the manner in which Treaty Negotiations Minister Margaret Wilson delivered the offer threatened to jeopardise the treaty settlement process.
"Its shows an appalling lack of judgement and is irresponsible."
The offer was released to Te Arawa and the public at the end of last week. It offered to give Te Arawa ownership of the lakebeds of the 14 lakes in the Rotorua district.
However, the future management would be the Rotorua District Council's responsibility with input from Te Arawa.
The offer also included continued public and commercial access to and use of the lakes and a financial redress for Te Arawa, to be negotiated.
Mrs te Heuheu said Ms Wilson should not have released the offer to the media because it breached previously agreed Terms of Negotiation between the Crown and Te Arawa.
Those terms state:
* Negotiations would be conducted in good faith and in a spirit of co-operation.
* Negotiations would be conducted in private and remain confidential unless agreed otherwise.
* Media statements concerning the negotiations would be made only when mutually agreed by both parties.
Mrs te Heuheu said it showed Ms Wilson's lack of experience in the portfolio and incapacity to talk face-to-face with New Zealanders.
"The minister's total disregard for basic negotiation principles and agreed terms of negotiation are a huge disappointment for Te Arawa and should be for all New Zealanders."
Mrs te Heuheu said she had talked to Te Arawa Maori Trust Board chairman Arapeta Tahana and other Te Arawa claimants about the matter.
She said they felt a level of distrust had now tainted the negotiations.
"Face-to-face and up front is how you deal with Maori. If Ms Wilson is apprehensive about dealing with Te Arawa face-to-face, then I would be happy to accompany her to visit the Te Arawa people," she said.
Mr Tahana said he agreed with Mrs te Heuheu's comments, saying the offer should not have been released to the media. That was not way negotiations should be carried out, he said.
"This is the first offer not the final offer," Mr Tahana said.
Releasing it to the public had caused all sorts of difficulties and Te Arawa had not yet had the opportunity to discuss the offer with Ms Wilson.
Acting Minister in Charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Lianne Dalziel said the Government was confident that it was right to tell the whole community of the offer to Te Arawa.
"The next step is further negotiations. These will benefit from the knowledge that there is widespread public support for a fair settlement that takes the legitimate interests of all parties into account," she said.
- DAILY POST (ROTORUA)
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