The Māori Development Minister has cautioned the group tasked with deciding the future of Ihumātao – which has so far cost the Crown $500,000 – that they could be shown the door, if they fail to find a solution.
It has been almost four years since former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern oversaw the purchase of the highly-disputed Auckland land from Fletcher Building for $29.9 million.
This was private land, with 480 houses to be built on it. Ardern spent $30 million of taxpayer money to buy it (which was ruled by the Auditor-General to be illegal), and set up a committee to decide on a mix or housing and other uses for it.
The houses they stopped being built there – 480 – is greater than the entire first two years of Kiwibuild.
So four years later we have $30 million spent, $500,000 on a committee that has done nothing and no houses.
The houses they stopped being built there – 480 – is greater than the entire first two years of Kiwibuild.
So four years later we have $30 million spent, $500,000 on a committee that has done nothing and no houses.
Documents show Te Puni Kōkiri (the Ministry of Māori Development) has contributed $200,000 to cover costs for the steering group.
A contract valued at $300,000 was also entered into with the office of the Kīngitanga in June last year, to engage with the local community and produce a report on potential land use options.
Jackson said disestablishing the group now would see that money go to waste.
Former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson told Mike Hosking all this group is capable of doing is talking.
He says he wouldn’t give them an ultimatum, he’d just boot them now.
Abolish the group, and have the crown offer to sell it at cost to local iwi or hapu, and they can spend their own money then deciding what to do with it.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.
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