Landowner concerns top of reform wish list

Maori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta is rejecting a call by National’s Maori spokesperson Nuk Korako to retain Te Ture Whenua Maori Bill.

Mr Korako says the major rewrite of Maori land law was needed to unlock the massive economic potential of unused Maori land.

But Ms Mahuta says she was not satisfied the changes would be to the advantage of Maori landowners.

Labour, New Zealand First and the Greens all made the bill an election issue because of the way it was managed by the Maori Party."That party is no longer in parliament and we are not continuing with those changes. What we will do is make sure the changes to the current Act are the critical changes that will help improve succession, look seriously at the issues around gaining access to land and being able to develop it well but also more importantly providing and investing in the capability support. That is what Maori landowners were saying all the way through," Ms Mahuta says.

NANAIA MAHUTA FULL INTERVIEW 

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