September 25, 2012
Land loss denies Maori development rights
A Maori historian says a proposed claim over wind power does raise some interesting points about development rights.
Rawiri Taonui says Northland man David Rankin’s suggestion was unhelpful in the wider future over what interests Maori may still have in waters, and it’s unfortunate the media take at face value his claims to be a Ngapuhi leader.
But he says the cases over electromagnetic spectrum and fisheries resulted in clear findings that treaty rights included a right to development, which the crown can’t ignore.
“If we had maintained more of our land, these beautiful hills we see around our countryside that are dotted with these giant wind turbines, we probably would have contributed to the development of that technology and because of the unfair loss of our land we are excluded from it,” he says.
Dr Taonui says the wind claim isn’t a claim for oxygen.