February 04, 2019
Māori land law change still needed
The chair of the Federation of Māori Authorities says $100 million pledged to develop Māori land was greatly welcomed, but it can’t be a replacement for reform of Māori land law.
On Sunday Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones contrasted the extra production to be gained from the use of pūtea from the Provincial Growth Fund with the lack of practical benefit from the previous Government’s aborted Ture Whenua Māori rewrite.
Traci Houpapa says Māori landowners are starting to focus on the best use for their land and need investment to make the necessary changes, but they are also held back by land ownership structure and other structural constraints.
"We can't just look at a fund response. It needs to be joined in terms of other legislative, regulatory, and strategic priority areas. For example zero carbon, fresh water. There is a big conversation to be had here and this is certainly a step in the right direction," she says.
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