May 10, 2017
Iwi support for Maori land reform overstated
A member of the Iwi Chairs Forum is rejecting claims by Maori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell that his reform of Maori land law has the forums's support.
Te Ture Whenua Maori is going through its committee stages in parliament, with MPs trying to work out the implications of last minute changes to a Bill that promises to reshape the way Maori deal with their land.
Ngati Kahu chair Margaret Mutu told Radio Waatea host Titewhai Harawira the Bill was shocking and amounted to a land grab.
"What I am really annoyed with Te Ururoa about, is that he has said the national Iwi Chairs Forum supports the bill. That is not true. What we said was, provided you make and there was a whole string of changes that had to be made, provided you make those changes, we will support it. But he never made the changes," she says.
Professor Mutu says it's wrong to push the Bill through without making it clear how the proposed new Maori Land Service will operate.
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