Maori issues
Eighteen months after the Crown bought the long-disputed land from Ihumātao, the management group tasked with working out what to do with it has finally met, writes political editor Jo Moir
In December, a year after the crown bought Ihumātao, the government announced that it had made its capability two appointments to the steering group that would determine how the land would be used – but to relinquish other parties meant it did not progress.
The stop was with the Kīngitanga who chose the hapū / iwi that would make up the three Ahi Kā representatives on the committee.
Te Aakitai Waiohua, one of the mana whenua groups with a place in the management group, was seen as a roadblock due to anxiety about the process and what it would mean for the land next to the Ōtuataua Stonefield site.
The Crown bought the land from the Fletcher building for $ 30 million, with money set aside for housing, after years of protest and occupation at the privately owned site.
Nearly 18 months after the date the land was purchased, the three Ahi Kā representatives were mostly decided and the group had its first meeting with Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson at the end of last month.
Jackson described the meeting as “interesting” and that he was now “going to leave it to them” to erase a plan in the five-year timeline given to the group.
“Eighteen months of that are over, they need to come up with a plan that is appropriate, especially in terms of housing, that’s our expectation,” he told Newsroom.
The arch-deacon for the Kīngitanga and secretary of King Tuheitia, Ngira Simmonds, told Newsroom a lot of work had gone into the formation of the management group, but not everyone was convinced yet.
“I think it’s fair to say there was strong discussion and not 100 percent consensus at this point,” he said.
The Ahi Kā representatives consist of three mana whenua – Te Aakitai Waiohaua, Te Kawerau aa Maki and Te Ahiwaru.
But Te Aakitai Waiohaua’s representative has still not been officially appointed due to ongoing concerns about the process and the need to enter into talks with the Crown.
“There’s some reluctance there, but they remain open to talking to us and working together, so we just said we need to keep moving forward and keep talking and coming together and there is unanimous support for that,” Simmonds said. .
The steering group plans to meet once a month, but some still question what the mandate and mandate are and what the future holds for the land.
“This is a very difficult discussion and for some of the mana whenua groups, the idea of being on the committee with the Crown is a struggle.”
Simmonds told Newsroom everyone went into this knowing that housing should be part of the solution.
While some are opposed to housing being built at Ihumātao, he said “everyone is pretty pragmatic about some of those realities and the minister has made that clear.”
“When the crown came in, they were well ahead of their time in using housing money to do so. So, I guess we can ‘t get three-quarters of the way in and say no, because that was a fundamental from day one.’ ‘
One way Simmonds says the housing dispute can be circumvented is the use of land owned by Waikato-Tainui.
“There are other tribes nearby that are tribal property that have been returned to our settlement that can offer solutions in that residential area.
“But we’re still in the idea phase and just trying to get everyone in the same room,” he said.
The management group is unique in that it does not have a specific mandate or mandate other than a five-year timeline – it is for those on the group to work out.
“I know there are members of the public in the wider New Zealand who are concerned about it and think it’s a long time coming,” Simmonds said.
“I think in the context of what happened at that time, it’s not really.”
Simmonds says people should not “underestimate how difficult it will be”, but as long as everyone stays at the table, it can be solved.
Jackson has appointed Dr. Charlotte Severne and Bernie O’Donnell to represent the Crown on the committee and Auckland Council will select an observer to attend meetings.