Mike Butler: Forestry trust assets shrink

Crown Forestry Rental Trust funds are diminishing as more forestry land is given to claimant groups is the unsurprising 2016 message of the trust to its appointors -- the New Zealand Maori Council, the Federation of Maori Authorities and the Minister of Finance, Bill English.

The trust was set up under the Crown Forest Assets Act 1989 as a self-funding organisation that is midway between the Crown and Maori to hold Crown forestry land that may be subject to treaty claims and collect rentals paid to the Crown for forests grown on Crown land.

Mike Butler: Self-interest hobbles forestry trust

The organisation which funds Maori lodging Treaty of Waitangi claims over Crown forests remains unable to fulfil its obligations because of High Court action by a trustee, Sir Eddie Durie, supported by fellow trustee Maanu Paul, and one of the trust’s appointors, the New Zealand Maori Council. This boardroom stoush offers a snapshot of treaty industry politics.