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Noisy protests are likely at tomorrow’s signing of Taranaki iwi Te Atiawa’s historic claims settlement.
Rawiri Doorbar from Otaraua hapu says he’s seeking an injunction to stop the signing of the $87 million deal, and if that doesn’t work there will be some very disgruntled people at the signing.
Their objections are round the fate of the Pekapeka block at Waitara, whose purported sale sparked the first Taranaki war in 1860.
A side deal between the New Plymouth District Council, the crown and the iwi means some of that land will be gifted to Te Atiawa, and the council will allow leaseholders to freehold the rest.
Mr Doorbar says the deal confirmed his fears about the settlement process.
"There was always an agenda of picking up money for Waitara. The history of Waitara was always absolutely whenua. Our tupuna fought for the whenua. They didn't fight to have money. In fact they turned down the money in order to hold the land, so it's a really simple kaupapa for us," he says.
Mr Doorbar says the 77 percent margin of support for the deal doesn’t mean anything, because opponents boycotted the process rather than voted against it.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH RAWIRI DOORBAR CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjA5MDU=
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