Maori to own prison property

Maori are set to become landlords of a prison for the first time in a deal where Corrections will rent the grounds of Wanganui's Kaitoke Prison from tribal interests.

A similar deal is underway with Wellington's Rimutaka and Arohata prisons with an agreement in principle for the ownership of the land beneath them to go to Maori.

The deals are all based on the agreement that Maori will rent the land back to the Corrections Department, which will retain control of the buildings.

Maori ownership of prison land is separate from the concept of Maori managing prisons raised recently by the National-led Government's plans for private prison management.

It does raise the future possibility that a prison's land could be owned by Maori and its management contracted to Maori, with the Government's only role being tenant and owner of the buildings.

The Kaitoke Prison deal was part of a Whanganui iwi settlement bill introduced to Parliament yesterday by Minister for Treaty Negotiations Christopher Finlayson. A spokesman for Mr Finlayson said the bill gave Ngati Apa the right to buy the prison with proceeds from a settlement. If Ngati Apa decided to buy half, they would notify Whanganui iwi who had the right to a 50 per cent share.

He said the cost of the land and subsequent rental were yet to be decided.

Ngati Apa's 2007 settlement was based on the grievance of the Crown acquiring the land cheaply and assuring them they would benefit greatly, only for Ngati Apa to find poverty, not partnership.

Mr Finlayson's spokesman said Rimutaka men's and Arohata women's prisons would be given to the Ngati Toa collective as part of negotiations now underway.