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Download AudioThe new chair of Te Ohu Kaimoana, Pahia Turia, says locking something up forever doesn’t fit with Māori notions of kaitiakitanga.
Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has ruled out fast-track legislation to create a 620,000sq km ocean sanctuary around the Kermadecs and says the Government is committed to working with Maori on a solution.
Mr Turia says the fisheries settlement trust is hosting a wananga on Thursday to explore what an indigenous-led approach to ocean management would look like.
He says iwi are united that the current government proposal wasn’t right and undermined the fisheries settlement.
“It’s the same as with things that have happened on land as well, it’s just the erosion of these rights and interests our people have. The fear is if we allow them to do it with this, it opens the door for them to do whatever they want with treaty settlements and brings into question the integrity of the crown and the integrity of these settlements,” Mr Turia says.
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