Tribunal airwaves report on deadline

By Keith Newman

A Waitangi Tribunal report likely to challenge ownership of the country's radio waves and request significant resources be set aside for Maori interests will be delivered to Government ministers this week.

The report, which follows a full hearing of the Waitangi Tribunal earlier this year, could have a profound effect on planned auctions of radio frequencies for mobile communications and digital television.

After the Waitangi Tribunal asked for the 2GHz auction to be postponed in March, Communications Minister Maurice Williamson refused to enter into discussion on the matter, giving the tribunal until the end of June to come up with a full report.

Waitangi Tribunal director Maurice Love said ministers should get their copy tomorrow, but the published version would not be made public until possibly next week.

"Normally we don't release reports until there are printed copies available, but there is a necessity to get it to ministers as soon as possible."

The claim on rights to radio frequencies was made by Rangiho Everton on behalf of the Ngati Raukawa tribe, north-west of Wellington. She won a special hearing before the tribunal the day before the scheduled 2GHz auction in March when it was agreed there was a case for the Government to respond to.

Maori want at least 50 per cent of what is on offer in the 2GHz radio spectrum and, if successful, are likely to extend their claims to other portions of the airwaves, including frequencies set aside for digital television.

The Ministry of Commerce plans to sell off 1310 frequency lots in the 2GHz band, including 35 sets of management rights for new generation mobile telephone and data services. Local and international telecommunications companies are likely to be interested in the frequencies alongside Telecom, Clear, Telstra and Vodaphone.

The Waitangi Tribunal report, originally expected to run to 40 pages, is now at 100 pages.

Mr Love said the Whanganui river report had taken up a lot of the tribunal's time but it was keen to meet the deadline set down by Mr Williamson.