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Iwi to lodge asset sales claim

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Tue, 07 Feb 2012 6:44a.m.

Protests against asset sales interrupted Waitangi Day celebrations

Protests against asset sales interrupted Waitangi Day celebrations

The Maori Council is expected to file claims with the Waitangi Tribunal today challenging the Government's plan to partially sell off state-owned assets.

The council says the Government's proposal to sell shares in state-owned energy companies strips Maori of their ownership of freshwater and geothermal resources, without consent or compensation.

The council is asking the tribunal to recommend the Government halt the sale of 49 percent of four energy companies, Genesis Energy, Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power and Solid Energy, until a settlement is negotiated.

The claim is being lodged on behalf of all Maori, in the name of Maori Council chair Sir Graeme Latimer and 11 hapu groups from the Far North to Manawatu.

The council's spokesman, Maanu Paul, told Radio New Zealand the claimants do not want to disrupt the government's economic program, but they believe Maori have a legitimate claim to a share in the power companies.

Environment Minister Nick Smith says the claim could be divisive and that arguing about the ownership of water is neither practical nor useful.

The government is holding a series of hui to consult with Maori on law changes for the float of minority shareholdings in state-owned enterprises.

The Waitangi Tribunal is a permanent commission of inquiry which makes recommendations on claims brought by Maori alleging breaches of promises in the Treaty of Waitangi.

NZN

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07 Feb 2012 06:16p.m.

Mike wrote:

Where would Maori be today if there was no treaty?

The British would have sent in the red coats, killed a lot of Maori, and their would be no treaty and no ownership by Maori.

The treaty was a peaceful settlement which gave crown control of land sales as pre-treaty Maori had already sold more land than NZ has more than 2x over. The crown undertook to protect maori and for that they made NZ part of the british empire and gave Maori rights as british subjects, including the right to own land.

The treaty did not give Maori the right to vote, the right to welfare, or the right to healthcare. If maori want to use the treaty as an excuse for racism we need to stop all welfare payments, all maori voting, all maori voting.

NZ needs one law, not one law for Maori and another for everyone else.

Alaska was sold in 1867 for under $0.02 per acre. This was 27 after the treaty but puts a value on land then. Land value is based on development. eg if take land which has never been developed in the middle of nowhere and compare its price to land the same size in Queen Street Auckland. The value of land today has been built by NZ development since the treaty, and scarcity. 1840 very low population, undeveloped, today higher population and development.

07 Feb 2012 03:18p.m.

DaveTB wrote:

@Chris and Barney, I. NZ is not going to fall down some dark economic hole without the asset sales - assets sales are a one-off and will not contribute to lessening government expd in the long term. 2. Everyone is aware of Labours record on asset sales and how disastrous it was that why we are against the current proposal. The sale of a countries assets and future generations assets should be decided via referendum but National knows the public would block the proposal. Go iwi at least someone has sense to save something for our childrens future.

07 Feb 2012 12:09p.m.

Chris wrote:

Some of you stupid lefties forget your history - under Clarke and Goff Labour flogged off 650,000 ha. National has let 39.00 ha go. Why were you moronic lefties quiet when Labour was selling the county ? . O yes and you hypocrites forget that labour flogged of dozens of state assets in the 80's. Nationals plan is asset invetment and we keep a contolling 51% - Labour just sold the lot.

07 Feb 2012 11:40a.m.

Siena wrote:

Kiaora I agree with Fellows There's been a considerable surge of interest in int'l investments in agriculture in developing countries For eg acquisitions of agricultural land in Africa by investors in various Gulf States for food production in support of their food security strategy This is just 1 of a variety of actual or planned investment flows with different motivations Other countries outside Africa are also being targeted and major investments have also been made or are being planned by Chinese and Korean investors among others Investment companies in Europe and Nth America are also exploring opportunities motivated by potentially high expected returns on investment partly due to higher food prices and esp where biofuel feedstock production is a possibility Int'l investments in developing country agriculture is not new it appears that investments have increased in the last few years and that these new investments have a number of novel features and implications A major underlying driver for the recent spate of interest in international investment in food production appears to be food security and a fear arising from the recent high food prices and policy-induced supply shocks that dependence on world markets for foods supplies or agricultural raw materials has become more risky The recent volatility of international food prices has provoked concerns about the cost and availability of food in those countries heavily dependent upon imports for their food security In the richer countries the concern is not so much the price of imported food as its availability In the longer term the food security concerns of these countries dependent on food imports may be well-founded in the light of population growth increasing incomes increasingly binding land and water constraints and climate change Where increasing food self-sufficiency is not a plausible option investment in food production overseas is seen as one possible element of a food security strategy Kiakaha IWI!

07 Feb 2012 11:27a.m.

Gary wrote:

@Barney....You are missing the point and lost the plot. To some, money is not their GOD, they treasure freedom, nature, peace and a sense of belonging to a caring nation that treasures the same things. It would appear that it is you who is worrying about the economy? Do your self a favour and stop worrying, you can not change anything. To John Key you are just a number. Government like it when you worry, they try to scare you so you will blindly support them. This way they get to do anything they like, mainly with their own personal ego in mind. The sun will still come up tomorrow even without the asset sales.

07 Feb 2012 08:44a.m.

Barney wrote:

Stop the sales John Key and let them feel the pinch instead. You are worrying too much about the welfare of an ungrateful nation. Let Hone come up with a solution then they will really know what poverty is.

07 Feb 2012 08:30a.m.

Fellowes wrote:

This is excellent news. At the same time Iwi should challenge the Crafar farm sale before it goes unconditional. People are missing the point with the sale of land to foreigners. It is largely being sold to corporations, so that never again will Kiwi families be able to buy it and compete with their money. And perhaps the worst aspect is the sale to the Chinese because of the Free Trade Agreement with them - as never again will be the government be able to claim this land back. The Free Trade Agreement with the US must never be signed. Under John Key's watch the country is being sold to powerful foreign interests cutting Kiwis off from their own land. Overnight we will become serfs to corporations and dictatorial governments with appalling human rights records.