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Download AudioMāori Development Minister Willie Jackson says a deal announced yesterday on spectrum puts Māori right back into the telecommunications game.
The deal resolves what has been a 30-year struggle through the Waitangi Tribunal and the courts.
Earlier partial settlement attempts included a right to buy a block of 3G spectrum, which resulted in Māori involvement in the formation of mobile phone company 2Degrees, and the $30 million Ka Hao: Māori Digital Technology Fund set up by the previous National Government in lieu of handing over any 4G spectrum.
Mr Jackson says it will help unlock the promise of 5G.
“We’re going to have better Internet. We’re going to have better communications. We’re going to have more opportunities. Māori are now right in this game because we’ve given Māori the right to 20 per cent of spectrum going forward plus seed funding of $32 million for the first five years, kick start capital of $25 million and the transfer of the remaining $17.8 million from the Ka Hao: Māori Digital Technology Fund,” he says.
Minister Jackson says the agreement with Māori will give the rest of the industry more certainty about the 5G rollout.
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