June 16, 2015
Land bill submissions extended
A push to rewrite Maori law is hitting turbulence, with Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell extending the deadline for submissions an extra five weeks.
Tamaki Makaurau MP Peeni Henare says consultation hui on the new Te Ture Whenua Maori have been poorly attended.
He says land trusts he serves on are suspicious of the hype around the bill and question the government’s commitment to Maori land development.
"This particular Bill, they keep saying it's a positive thing that it will unlock the true value of Maori land. It will unlock it for who ? That's the first question and secondly we should be reviewing the Maori Land Court and their processes through the past because it's been one of the greatest mechanisms of 'tahae whenua' this country has ever seen," he says.
Peeni Henare says development needs to be done in a way that doesn’t put the land at risk of being lost.
Te Ururoa Flavells says submissions have been extended until August 7, but he still wants to introduce the bill to parliament before the end of the year.
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