Hone Harawira
MANA Leader

20 June 2012

Stop Asset Sales Unless Waitangi Tribunal Says Go

MANA leader Hone Harawira has tabled an amendment to the government’s asset sale bill that seeks to prevent the bill receiving the Royal assent unless the Waitangi Tribunal, as a result of its inquiry into Wai 2357, agrees that selling shares in the four power companies is in the best interest of whānau, hapū and iwi and to the fair and just resolution of all outstanding Treaty claims to do with freshwater and geothermal resources.

“The government has done all they can to exclude Maori claims to fresh water and geothermal resources from being part of the debate on the Bill”, said Harawira, “And of course, it’s absolutely central to it.

“They refused to discuss it during the formal consultation round with Maori back in February, they’ve largely ignored the issue at select committee despite it being raised by nearly every iwi submitter, and they’re cutting it out by rushing the bill through before the Waitangi Tribunal reports back their findings and recommendations”.

“My amendment is to ensure that the Treaty of Waitangi is given due consideration in laws passed in Parliament about fresh water and geothermal resources, by ensuring the legislation is either supported by the rulings of the Waitangi Tribunal or thrown out.”

The Wai 2357 claim was filed by Sir Graham Latimer on behalf of the Maori Council, Tom Murray on behalf of the Tai Tokerau Maori Council, and 10 other groups of claimants on 7 February 2012.

On 28 March the claimants were granted an urgent hearing before the Waitangi Tribunal into their claim that selling shares in state-owned power companies will compromise their existing Treaty claims in respect of fresh water and geothermal resources and limit the redress options available to the Crown to properly settle the claims.

The claimants are seeking a recommendation that the sale of shares in the power companies should not proceed until their outstanding claims to freshwater and geothermal resources have been resolved.

Disappointingly, the amendment was not voted on. It was deemed out of order as it deferred the start date of the bill to an indeterminable date.

ENDS

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