Submissions Called on Waitara Lands Bill

Now is the time to send your comments to Parliament’s select committee on the New Plymouth District Council (Waitara Lands) Bill.

The Maori Affairs Committee has called for submissions on the Bill, which aims to broaden the purposes for which the income from land leases and sales can be used and enable the freeholding of leasehold land.

The Bill will also enable the transfer of the underlying titles of three Council reserves (totalling about 30ha) and the freehold titles to 13.2ha of residential land to Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Trust, plus the first right of refusal on Ranfurly Park and the Waitara Golf Club (totalling about 33ha). Most of the land involved is on the Peka Peka Block.

Mayor Andrew Judd urges hapu, iwi, leaseholders and the wider community to get involved in the select committee process.

“This Bill is a chance for people to have their voices heard directly by Parliament,” says the Mayor.

“Please make sure to participate by making a submission.”

Submissions close on Monday 7 November. Information on how to make a submission are online at parliament.nz, or through the Maori Affairs Committee’s Facebook page at facebook.com/MaoriAffairs.

Following the select committee are three more Parliamentary stages: the Bill’s second reading, the Committee of the Whole House, and the third reading of the Bill. These stages could take about two months.

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