Simon Bridges - Leader of the Opposition

18 September 2019

The Government needs to immediately reject the call from iwi for it to negotiate with Fletchers over Ihumātao, Leader of the Opposition Simon Bridges says.

“Fletchers legally owns this land. If this settlement is brought into question then so will all other full and final Treaty of Waitangi settlements.

“The Prime Minister should never have waded into what was happening at Ihumātao by stopping the construction of much needed houses. Now she’s left the country with this situation still a mess because she got involved.

“In her absence, it’s up to her Māori Crown Relations Minister Kelvin Davis to sort this out. Mr Davis needs to show immediate leadership and just say no.

“It’s been almost eight weeks since the Prime Minister unnecessarily got involved. It’s time to let Fletcher’s get on and build some houses.”

ends

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