July 12, 2013
Māori role in mining studied
A University of Canterbury researcher wants to find out what impact mining will have on iwi.
Sarah Down from the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre is looking at the legal issues and involving negotiations occurring between iwi, corporations and the Crown over mining in New Zealand.
She says while there has been a lot written about how indigenous people in Australia, Canada and the United States are affected by extraction of natural resources, there has been little study here.
The Government is pushing for more petroleum exploration in Northland and Taranaki.
Ms Down says high Māori unemployment is cited as justification for such exploration, but the experience of other countries indicates that indigenous people receive little benefit unless they are able to drive a hard bargain.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd