September 12, 2019
Return of stolen land to mana whenua a win for all
The decision over whether Tauranga Council will return a block of land next to a former mission house to mana whenua may have to be made by the next council.
The council this week voted down the proposal 6-5, with mayor Greg Brownless joining the opposition.
It then voted in favour of an amended motion from councillor Rick Cusack that the gifting could go ahead if it was approved by The Elms Foundation, which looks after the historic building and would lease the land at a peppercorn rent.
Josh Te Kani from the Otamataha Trust, who is standing for council, says the council bought the section in 2006 with the intention of using it for heritage purposes, probably through the Elms Foundation.
But in a post-settlement environment with the history of the land now spelled out in a Waitangi Tribunal report, that position is no longer acceptable.
"Otamataha put a bid forward and said the better thing to do here is hand it back to us, in which we are willing to do a great deal for Mission Elms so everyone wins. Mission Elms would be able to carry on their kaupapa as a heritage site over 11 Mission St. Mana whenua would receive those lands back, ka riro whenua atu, ka hoki whenua mai, and so everybody would win," Mr Te Kani says.
He says the council had crumbled in the face of a campaign led by Margaret Murray-Benge, who is standing for the neighbouring Western Bay of Plenty Council, so the status of the land won't now be resolved until after the election.
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