April 11, 2024
Taranaki Bill unites parliament
Labour MP Willie Jackson has welcomed broad cross-party support for treaty settlements.
Legislation to implement the Taranaki Maunga settlement including giving the mountain a legal personality and a co-governance management structure, had its first reading this week.
Mr Jackson says he was surprised at the ACT Party’s whole-hearted support for the bill, given the way it has been pushing the coalition to dump Maori initiatives.
“Quite ironic given their anti-Maori strategy so far. You look at what is happenign with Fast Track, Maori Health Authority, all those sort of areas, te reo Maori, but in one area they’re holding fast in terms of treaty settlements so that’s a relief for us anyway,” Mr Jackson says.