Give Silna Claimants A Fair Go Says New Zealand First

New Zealand First says that the Waimumu Trust and other South Island Landless Native Act (SILNA) beneficiaries should be compensated for being prevented from earning an economic return from their lands.

“In 1906, Parliament passed the SILNA Act to provide land to those who had been alienated from their land in the previous century,” said environment spokesperson Jim Peters.

“Since then Parliament has ridden roughshod over that Act, creating an unfair situation whereby the SILNA groups are unable to deal with their own resources.

“New Zealand First was the only party to oppose the Forests Amendment Act which prevented the SILNA groups being able to deal with their own resources.

“Whilst the Waimumu Trust has sought relief from the Waitangi Tribunal, the real issue is that of a major breach of a parliamentary undertaking given in 1906.

“The Minister for Land Information needs to respect the integrity of Parliament’s past Acts, recognise that the inherited policies of the 1990s and of 2004 resulted in an injustice, and seek urgently to meet with the owners to negotiate compensation for a breach of faith,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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