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Ngati Kahu occupying a farm on Northland's Karikari peninsular have welcomed the deferral of its sale for a year, but say they will remain on the land until their treaty claims are negotiated with the Crown.
Landcorp yesterday shelved the sale of the 9.3-hectare block of coastal land at Rangiputa, overlooking the Rangaunu Harbour, while the Government reviews its land-sale policies.
State Owned Enterprises Minister Trevor Mallard announced yesterday that a 12-month moratorium had been placed on two Landcorp properties - at Rangiputa, worth around $5 million, and Whenuakite Station, worth $10 million, on Coromandel Peninsula.
The deferral followed discussions with Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia and members of the Labour Maori caucus, he said.
Richard Lawrence, spokesman for the negotiating committee, He Uri o Whakatupuranga, welcomed the news.
"It gives us time to prepare ourselves and then look to negotiating the return of all our lands with the Crown. Our next step will be to have a korero and to wait for official papers from the Government. At least we know we're out of the immediate red zone and we can now plan for the future.
"But we still have no intention of ending our occupation. We made a decision to stay here until our lands are permanently returned and we will negotiate to that end to try to get back all 9000ha that belongs to the Ngati Kahu."
Mr Lawrence said he was especially pleased MPs Shane Jones and Dover Samuels had moved quickly and achieved more in such a short space of time than previously appointed negotiators.
Mr Jones said the decision vindicated the effort put in by the Government's Maori Caucus. They had been embarrassed by the minister's failure to inform them of the initial review following the Hauraki occupation at Whenuakite where Maori MPs scored a political victory by calling for more occupations.
"This is indeed an excellent outcome and it strips any anxiety that he community and the local iwi (Ngati Kahu) have had while the Government looks to begin negotiations in earnest," Mr Jones said.
"It is also a vindication for the Labour Maori Caucus after all the criticism we received. It shows that we have worked effectively for an outcome which now allows the Government time to negotiate with Ngati Kahu."
Mr Jones said he and Mr Samuels would be involved in negotiations with Ngati Kahu, who had appointed a negotiating committee consisting of Te Kani Williams, Maragaret Mutu, Lloyd Popata amd Steve Herewini.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE
