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Northland Labour MP Dover Samuels is appealing a judgement against him that is ordering him to pay $40,000 in legal costs.
Mr Samuels challenged a Maori company over a subdivision in Matauri Bay.
The Matauri-X Incorporation, of which Mr Samuels is a shareholder, is sub-dividing land to pay off debts incurred by its former managers.
Radio New Zealand reported today that Mr Samuels claimed that part of the property was his ancestral land and was supposed to have been cut out off the block 20 years ago.
He told nzherald.co.nz that one of the sections was owned exclusively by his parents.
"I was advised by the media of the decision of the Maori Land Court, they didn't have the courtesy to tell me," Mr Samuels said.
He said he believes the role of the land court is to retain Maori land in Maori hands not cut it up in a subdivision.
"I've already paid for my legal adviser and the application to the Maori Land Court. At the end of the day the people who will make the money out of this saga is the developer," Mr Samuels said.
The Maori Land Court found that Mr Samuel's claim was without merit.
Matauri-X had filed a claim for legal costs of $50,000.
In his decision, Judge David Ambler says Mr Samuels' claim was "opportunistic".
- HERALD ONLINE
