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Te Uri o Hau chair Russell Kemp says the Northland iwi is looking for fairness in the way its treaty settlement land is treated.
Last week the iwi signed a relationship agreement with Auckland Council and the Rodney Local Board at Te Arai, the former crown forest land between Pakiri and Mangawhai that the iwi bought with its 2002 settlement.
It was told by the crown there would be no obstacles to development, but subsequent concerns over endangered fairy terns means it has struggled to get the necessary consents.
Mr Kemp says it has been a source of frustration,.
"I now look at other iwi building 300 houses in Auckland and I feel glad for them. We tried to do the same nine, ten years ago and we were stopped. Now we are only allowed to build 40 and had to donate 200 acres back and sell some to pay our bills, so I congratulate the other iwi who have made deals where they are building houses, because suddenly there is a need for everyone to build houses, and we were compromised," he says.
Te Uri o Hau has no problem looking after fairy terns, but it also wants the chance to look after its own people.
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