INDEPENDENT NEWS

MP's call for Te Roroa claim inquiry a farce

Published: Thu 2 Sep 1999 08:32 AM
A call by Northland MP John Carter for an inquiry into the Te Roroa land claim settlements is farcical and an attempt to undermine the Waitangi Tribunal, the Green Party says.
Mr Carter and ACT MP Ken Shirley have reportedly called for the inquiry because they say fresh evidence shows that transcripts of 1892 and 1939 court cases, which were used as evidence in the hearings, may have been tampered with.
But Green Party Treaty of Waitangi spokesperson Janine McVeagh said the document tampering claim is more than five years old, was investigated by the Justice Department when the claim was first made and was found to be completely false.
"Carter and Shirley are five years too late - so late it's farcical. Their tampering claims were discredited years ago," Ms McVeagh said.
"What they are saying, in effect, is that the Waitangi Tribunal was duped by Te Roroa during the hearings. They are simply trying to undermine the credibility of the Waitangi Tribunal.
"But in doing so they are playing callous games with the Te Roroa people who still haven't been compensated despite winning their claim more than four years ago."
It has been more than four years since the land was purchased by the Crown for Te Roroa as part of the settlement but the iwi still does not have access to the land and has still not been compensated for all their losses, Ms McVeagh said.
The Green Party wants to see the Waitangi Tribunal strengthened and fair settlements given to all iwi who suffered land losses, she said.
ENDS

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