Hon Tariana Turia and Hon Dr Pita Sharples
Maori Party Co-Leaders

27 January 2012

Maori Party outraged by the sale of Crafar Farms

The Maori Party have today slammed the approval of sale of Crafar Farms, with co-Leader Dr. Pita Sharples saying “our land should stay in our hands.”

“We are totally outraged that the Overseas Investment Office would approve the sale of this massive land holding to foreign investors,” said Dr. Sharples.

“The Maori Party is absolutely against the sale of our land to overseas interests. Iwi are natural partners of the Crown, with cultural traditions of intergenerational ownership and protection of land and natural resources. They should have a right of first refusal, in accordance with Treaty principles, as our election policy stated."

Co-leader, Tariana Turia stated, “Last August, we asked the Minister of Finance to introduce a regulation to direct the Overseas Investment Commission to check whether the seller had consulted with, and/or offered land to the appropriate iwi before offering it on the open market."

“Our view has always been that we must protect and preserve our land to keep it from falling into foreign ownership. We do not believe selling off our land to offshore investors such as Shanghai Pengxin is an act of good faith in iwi as Treaty partners.

“This sale fails the test, because it places a significant chunk of our land, and the economic benefits derived from it, into foreigh ownership and control,” said Co-leaders Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples.

Land is not just an economic asset to be expolited for maximum profit. Papatuanuku is the nurturer of all life, and her care must rest with people who are committed to her for all time.

Whilst we oppose the decision to sell the farms to off shore interests, we are also just as opposed to corporate investors coming in and selling off the land to the highest bidder.

Dr. Sharples ended: “today a great wrong has been done to New Zealanders. Our land is not just a commodity; it is a living, breathing part of our history, our culture, and our people. We just sold a piece of ourselves.”

ENDS

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