February 29, 2016
Maori forgotten AGAIN?
Maori forgotten AGAIN?
MARTYN BRADBURY:
At no stage during the public debate over whether NZers should privately buy the Awaroa Abel Tasman deal was it revealed that the area was under a claim by local Maori.
Isn't that incredible? The issue of the public buying it was debated, the issue of the Government putting in cash for some of it was debated and Gareth Morgan's offer to buy it for private use that ensured public access was debated – but the fact that there was a treaty claim on the land was never mentioned in mainstream media.
Willie Jackson did an excellent Waatea 5th Estate on the issue last week, and that was the first time the Maori side of this issue had even been heard in the wider public.
What does it say about our news media that not one of them seemed aware of the claim?
But what's the problem right? We all own the beach now, yay us. So what if there was a Maori claim on it, we all own it now!
While it's all good and fine to make land that isn't yours public, it seems this ability to turn private land public only ever occurs when it's Maori land that is up for grabs. Take the recent fight in Auckland over intensification so that the poorer members of society can find places to live. Those with the money and wealth are not in any way shape or form being forced to hand over their property to the public, yet the expectation with the Awaroa Abel Tasman deal is not only for Maori to do just that, but they are also supposed to be completely silent about it in case it ruins the gesture.
Unbelievable.
Martyn Bradbury
Editor – TheDailyBlog.co.nz
Waatea 5th Estate
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