December 29, 2016
Wananga to reveal Maori Land Service design
Wananga to reveal Maori Land Service design
There’s to be a second round of wananga around the country on the proposed Maori Land Service leading up to Waitangi Day.
But Labour’s Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Meka Whaitiri says further wananga are premature and meaningless when the service still has no confirmed business case.
Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says during the first wananga in September and October the voices of Maori land owners were loud and clear.
“Our Māori land owners’ call for the further protection and retention of their whenua, (Te Ture Whenua Maori) Bill strengthens that. Our Maori land owners’ call for easier decision making, the Bill and the Maori Land Service enable that. Our Maori land owners’ call for expert advice and support, the Whenua Fund and the Maori Land Service provides for that,” he says.
Mr Flavell says the Maori Land Service will be one point of service currently provided by three agencies – the Maori Land Court, Te Puni Kokiri and Land Information New Zealand.
The new service could help land owners choose an appropriate governance structure for their needs and to transition to the new entity. It could also register decisions about governance and land utilisation, support dispute resolution and maintain records of Maori land ownership and titles.
The wananga, which will be held between January 23 and February 5, will set out the proposed services, their delivery and the design of the proposed Maori Land Service.
Ms Whaitiri says announcing the wananga at 4pm on a Friday afternoon two days before Christmas and is a classic example of the way the Minister operates.
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