Finlayson has answer to Ihumātao

Former Treaty Negotiations Minister has the solution to the Ihumātao impasse:

“The hīkoi should turn around and not march to the Prime Minister’s office, but march down to Tainui,” he told The AM Show on Thursday, saying the solution to the standoff is “blindingly obvious”.

“All the iwi that have settled around this area have Tainui links. Kiingi Tuheitia’s been there. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for Tainui to step up – they’re very, very wealthy – and say, ‘Right – we’ll buy the land commercially. Nothing to do with the Crown at all.'”

Tainui was the first iwi to cut a deal with the Crown in the mid-1990s, and has since turned its $170 million into holdings of more than $1 billion. . . 

“The hīkoi should turn around and not march to the Prime Minister’s office, but march down to Tainui,” he told The AM Show on Thursday, saying the solution to the standoff is “blindingly obvious”.

“All the iwi that have settled around this area have Tainui links. Kiingi Tuheitia’s been there. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for Tainui to step up – they’re very, very wealthy – and say, ‘Right – we’ll buy the land commercially. Nothing to do with the Crown at all.'”

Tainui was the first iwi to cut a deal with the Crown in the mid-1990s, and has since turned its $170 million into holdings of more than $1 billion. . .

Dr Finlayson, having looked through property deeds, cast doubt on whether the land was actually confiscated in 1863 as the protesters claim.

“But it was still confiscated – that seems to be the case – although there’s some debate about by whom and when.”

Asked why the protesters hadn’t asked Tainui to flex its financial muscle, Dr Finlayson said it’s because the “kneejerk reaction” is always “go to the Crown”. . .

This is a dispute within the iwi, let the iwi buy the property, at a commercial price, and leave it to them to sort it out amongst themselves.

Private property is left out of the Treaty settlement process for very good reason but the money given to iwi in compensation for past wrongs can, and often is, used to buy land that was taken from them.

It could be done in this case without setting a precedent that would undermine any Treaty settlements.

This is an elegant solution from the man who has Minister, settled 59 Treaty claims.