FoMA, Council sue Crown over forest deal
The Federation of Maori Authorities and the New Zealand Maori Council are suing the government over the proposed settlement of Te Arawa land claims.
FoMA chairperson Peter Charlton says the Crown intends to take part of the Kaingaroa Forest out of the Crown Forestry Rental Trust and sell it to Nga Kaihautu o Te Arawa.
In the process, it will collect $63 million in accumulated rent.
Mr Charlton says that is a breach of 1989 agreement between the federation, the Maori Council and the Crown which created the trust to collect rent for the former state forests until the Waitangi Tribunal was able to determine who should own the land underneath.
“The government are not following the laws of the country and they are unfortunately trying to make themselves beneficiaries without following the protocols laid out in statute,” Mr Charlton says.
An application for an injunction was lodged in the High Court in Wellington yesterday.
NATIONAL READIES FOR RATANA TRIP
The new leader of the National Party won't be short of party support when he is welcomed on to Ratana Pa this morning.
Maori Affairs co-spokesperson Tau Henare says at least 15 National MPs are expected, with most having attended previous Ratana hui, including Georgina te Heu heu, and former party leader Bill English.
The Te Atatu based list MP says church members or Morehu will be looking for John Key to be decisive, and to present a clear message on National's plans, and its strategy to get Maori and non Maori working together.
“I think it's especially significant that we introduce John to the people of Ratana. Ratana people play a huge part in Maori politics and in national politics,” Mr Henare says.
National is expected at the Marae about 11 this morning, while the Prime Minister and the Labour delegation is due to arrive about 1.30.
RUATORIA RADIO EPICENTRE FOR QUAKE EFFORT
Ruatoria - based Radio Ngati Porou is dusting off its civil defence manuals as it responds to concerns about the swarm of earthquakes which have hit the East Coast in recent days.
Four earthquakes had occurred since Saturday, all between 4 and 4.3 on the Richter scale, centred in the sea about 30 kilometres east of the town.
Station manager Heni Tawhiwhirangi says the radio is the central communication point for civil defence.
“We've got civil defence community set ups in every community, so they go into action and they action and connect into the radio. We connect with them, the police and all the extra services,” Ms Tawhiwhirangi says.
The worst scenario would be if earthquakes tip underwater cliffs into the Hikurangi Trough, causing a tsunami.
MAORI BACK IN COURT ON TREATY MATTERS
After many years of quiet on the legal front, Maori are again challenging the Crown over the way treaty settlements are conducted.
The Federation of Maori Authorities and the Maori Council yesterday asked the High Court for an injunction against the settlement of Te Arawa land claims.
Federation chairperson Peter Charlton says the Government wants to take part of the Kaingaroa Forest out of the control of the Crown Forestry Rental Trust, and transfer it to Nga Kaihautu o Te Arawa.
In the process it will pocket $63 million in accumulated rentals.
Mr Charlton says that breaches the 1989 deal between FoMA, the Maori Council and the Crown, which was designed to protect Maori claims to the land under the former state forests.
“And according to our legal advice, the Crown can only become a beneficiary if the Waitangi Tribunal so rule,” Mr Charlton says.
FISH CHALLENGE FUNDER SOUGHT
Wellington-based Te Atiawa wants to know who is behind a challenge to its mandate to collect $3 million in fisheries settlement assets.
Iwi member Martha Hineone Gilbert is seeking a judicial review of Te Ohu Kaimoana's decision to grant a mandate to Te Atiawa ki te Upoko o te Ika a Maui Potoki Trust to hold the settlement assets.
Ms Gilbert says three trustees representing Lower Hutt's Waiwhetu Marae were not properly elected.
But trust member Morrie Love says the iwi followed the proper processes.
He says the iwi is asking the Court to demand security for costs, which it hopes that will flush out the real challengers.
“It's is interesting because the person taking the action has no assets and is a beneficiary, so it is difficult in fact to see how she can afford the action,” Mr Love says.
The full case won't be heard until at least the middle of the year.
COMETS PART OF NATURAL WORLD
A Ngai Tai man who has studied Maori attitudes to celestial events, says pre-European Maori saw comets as a part of the natural world, and not a sign of impending doom.
This week thousands of New Zealanders are out looking for Comet McNaught in the night sky.
Pita Turei says oral traditions include many stories of comets, including one sighted by people at Parihaka during the dark days of 1881.
He says traditional Maori society monitored celestial activity closely, a legacy of their navigation across the Pacific Ocean.
“If you've voyaged on the ocean for 1000 years and you’ve collected all that knowledge ands passed it on in a form that is practical and useful, comets you would have recognised in the context of that, not as things to be afraid of but things to be taken notice of and to be aware iof what other tohu there were at the time,” Mr Turei says.
FoMA chairperson Peter Charlton says the Crown intends to take part of the Kaingaroa Forest out of the Crown Forestry Rental Trust and sell it to Nga Kaihautu o Te Arawa.
In the process, it will collect $63 million in accumulated rent.
Mr Charlton says that is a breach of 1989 agreement between the federation, the Maori Council and the Crown which created the trust to collect rent for the former state forests until the Waitangi Tribunal was able to determine who should own the land underneath.
“The government are not following the laws of the country and they are unfortunately trying to make themselves beneficiaries without following the protocols laid out in statute,” Mr Charlton says.
An application for an injunction was lodged in the High Court in Wellington yesterday.
NATIONAL READIES FOR RATANA TRIP
The new leader of the National Party won't be short of party support when he is welcomed on to Ratana Pa this morning.
Maori Affairs co-spokesperson Tau Henare says at least 15 National MPs are expected, with most having attended previous Ratana hui, including Georgina te Heu heu, and former party leader Bill English.
The Te Atatu based list MP says church members or Morehu will be looking for John Key to be decisive, and to present a clear message on National's plans, and its strategy to get Maori and non Maori working together.
“I think it's especially significant that we introduce John to the people of Ratana. Ratana people play a huge part in Maori politics and in national politics,” Mr Henare says.
National is expected at the Marae about 11 this morning, while the Prime Minister and the Labour delegation is due to arrive about 1.30.
RUATORIA RADIO EPICENTRE FOR QUAKE EFFORT
Ruatoria - based Radio Ngati Porou is dusting off its civil defence manuals as it responds to concerns about the swarm of earthquakes which have hit the East Coast in recent days.
Four earthquakes had occurred since Saturday, all between 4 and 4.3 on the Richter scale, centred in the sea about 30 kilometres east of the town.
Station manager Heni Tawhiwhirangi says the radio is the central communication point for civil defence.
“We've got civil defence community set ups in every community, so they go into action and they action and connect into the radio. We connect with them, the police and all the extra services,” Ms Tawhiwhirangi says.
The worst scenario would be if earthquakes tip underwater cliffs into the Hikurangi Trough, causing a tsunami.
MAORI BACK IN COURT ON TREATY MATTERS
After many years of quiet on the legal front, Maori are again challenging the Crown over the way treaty settlements are conducted.
The Federation of Maori Authorities and the Maori Council yesterday asked the High Court for an injunction against the settlement of Te Arawa land claims.
Federation chairperson Peter Charlton says the Government wants to take part of the Kaingaroa Forest out of the control of the Crown Forestry Rental Trust, and transfer it to Nga Kaihautu o Te Arawa.
In the process it will pocket $63 million in accumulated rentals.
Mr Charlton says that breaches the 1989 deal between FoMA, the Maori Council and the Crown, which was designed to protect Maori claims to the land under the former state forests.
“And according to our legal advice, the Crown can only become a beneficiary if the Waitangi Tribunal so rule,” Mr Charlton says.
FISH CHALLENGE FUNDER SOUGHT
Wellington-based Te Atiawa wants to know who is behind a challenge to its mandate to collect $3 million in fisheries settlement assets.
Iwi member Martha Hineone Gilbert is seeking a judicial review of Te Ohu Kaimoana's decision to grant a mandate to Te Atiawa ki te Upoko o te Ika a Maui Potoki Trust to hold the settlement assets.
Ms Gilbert says three trustees representing Lower Hutt's Waiwhetu Marae were not properly elected.
But trust member Morrie Love says the iwi followed the proper processes.
He says the iwi is asking the Court to demand security for costs, which it hopes that will flush out the real challengers.
“It's is interesting because the person taking the action has no assets and is a beneficiary, so it is difficult in fact to see how she can afford the action,” Mr Love says.
The full case won't be heard until at least the middle of the year.
COMETS PART OF NATURAL WORLD
A Ngai Tai man who has studied Maori attitudes to celestial events, says pre-European Maori saw comets as a part of the natural world, and not a sign of impending doom.
This week thousands of New Zealanders are out looking for Comet McNaught in the night sky.
Pita Turei says oral traditions include many stories of comets, including one sighted by people at Parihaka during the dark days of 1881.
He says traditional Maori society monitored celestial activity closely, a legacy of their navigation across the Pacific Ocean.
“If you've voyaged on the ocean for 1000 years and you’ve collected all that knowledge ands passed it on in a form that is practical and useful, comets you would have recognised in the context of that, not as things to be afraid of but things to be taken notice of and to be aware iof what other tohu there were at the time,” Mr Turei says.
posted by Adam | 11:42 pm
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