A request by Maori to buy council held land is sparking a revision of council's land sale processes.
Council property manager Anthony Averill says the confidential request is still under consideration, and pre-dates the more public request for ownership of the Beachside Holiday Park land in Mount Maunganui.
Maori are seeking ownership of the Beachside Holiday Park at the base of Mauao.
Other councillors at this week's workshop on Tangata Whenua land proposals say the council is currently dealing with a confidential request for land at Dive Crescent.
That request and the recent call for the Mount camping ground site to be returned to Maori ownership has city council staff seeking a policy direction from the council.
Staff are seeking political guidance, basically council approval for staff to shoulder-tap hapu when land they have an interest in becomes available, and how the sales process then unfolds - whether as a private or public sales process.
The proposal suggests a staged process with an information gathering phase, the land's history, how it was acquired, its status and value; before the issue is taken through a council decision making phase.
City council has inherited land from previous councils, some of which may have been taken under the Public Works Act for purposes for which it was never used.
Now there is the possibility the various hapu that are traditional owners of some now council owned land, may seek its return.
Ngai Tukairangi is seeking the return of ownership of the camping ground at the base of Mauao, which is on the Mount Maunganui Recreation Reserve, established in 1888. The government cited recreation, quarrying, defence concerns and navigation among the reasons why the Crown deemed buying Mauao necessary.
In January 1980 the recreation reserve was vested with the Mount Maunganui Borough Council at no cost, and later amalgamated into Tauranga City in 1989.
The next step in the process is for staff to report back with proposals for a formal council decision making process.
31 comments
Public Works Act
Posted on 29-08-2013 11:12 | By Colleen Spiro
If land was taken under the disgusting Public Works Act, and NOT returned, or used for the purpose, then GIVE IT BACK.
Johnem
Posted on 29-08-2013 12:24 | By johnm
How much more of NZ are we going to give away?
not maori land
Posted on 29-08-2013 12:55 | By rmz450
why should maori own this land its for every one to use leave it with the council just hungry maori wanting more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmmmm.
Posted on 29-08-2013 13:50 | By verandric
Council needs to remember that these pieces of land are owned by all ratepayer(including Maori). I have no objection to Maori buying as long as it is done openly and fairly. All interested parties have to have the same right to purchase. As sweetheart details are unacceptable auction maybe the best process.
Its
Posted on 29-08-2013 14:11 | By @)---}-
Never going to end is it.
Public Works Act
Posted on 29-08-2013 17:49 | By Colleen Spiro
NZTA wants to acquire my land for the Welcome Bay tunnel.....if for some reason it is not used for that purpose, then they have to offer it back to me. This is a what Wikipedia says about the Tauranga Airport. Says it is owned by the Council Tauranga Airport was acquired by the NZ Government from the traditional Maori land owners during World War 2 for defensive purposes. However, the Government failed to return it to them at the conclusion of the war, as it had also done in Raglan. The site provided an important link to burial grounds. Ownership has being contested by the traditional owners with the Waitangi Tribunal.[2].
im
Posted on 29-08-2013 17:52 | By Capt_Kaveman
sorry but i have to say no on this one
Dont 4get
Posted on 29-08-2013 18:05 | By Blessed
to remind them of the Tsunami Risk.... Oh Im maori, im not interested in the Mount, would the heading say, 'Pakeha or Chinese' if they were interested in buying Council Land even if it was just 1 or a small group of people?... agree with Verandric.
Kaiorua2u
Posted on 29-08-2013 19:30 | By gremlin
You need to read the article properly. The land was BOUGHT under the Public Works Act. Maybe you should be paying to get it back. Or returning the money you received for it. Fat chance!!
Buyit,Maintain it
Posted on 29-08-2013 20:08 | By Jitter
If Maori want to buy any TCC land then if agreed to they then pay the maintenance on it not the ratepayers.
SECRET SQUIRREL STEALTH
Posted on 29-08-2013 20:23 | By ROCCO
LIST OUT ALL THE LAND IN FULL, TITLE REFERENCES, AREAS, LEGAL DESCRIPTIONS, LOCATIONS AND PRESENT REGISTERED OWNERS.CORPORATE IWI HAVE THE DETAILS AND REAL RATEPAYERS MUST BE GIVEN THEM TOO.I like most other NZers am well and truly over this sort of crap.
silly country
Posted on 29-08-2013 21:34 | By rotovend
we, I, us, them, it appears that is all New Zealand is today no unity whatsoever
JohnM
Posted on 30-08-2013 09:00 | By YOGI BEAR
It is not being "Given" it is being stolen from the NZ public at large.
Buy it, maintain it
Posted on 30-08-2013 09:02 | By Good day
Sounds fair, but if you buy something that you can never exclusively own, why should you maintain it if in practice it is not yours...
@Kiaora2u
Posted on 30-08-2013 09:42 | By Reeff
Give it back to who......any FULL blooded Maori maybe? Read the article and you will see the land was "Brought" not taken, so if Maori want it then they should "pay" for it and also pay to maintain it, NZ tax payer are getting a little sick and tired of these fictitious claims to land stolen and sick of supporting a greedy few. NZ will never move forward as a country until these "so called" settlement claims stop.
Unbelievable
Posted on 31-08-2013 13:41 | By HolySpirit
What are people scared of? Did they have an option about selling he land under the public works act? I think not, so if it was not used for its intended purpose or that use is expired should it not then be offered back to the original owners who never wanted to part with it in the first place.......rednecks I can't get over the small mindedness of some of you people.
Reef
Posted on 02-09-2013 09:37 | By Good day
Give it back to the descendants in accordance with the Public Works Act at cost as it should be done for any other NZer whether white, yellow, purple or brown. People talk on here about equality, maori want equality too under the Public Works Act.
Leave it with council
Posted on 02-09-2013 17:29 | By kb
Leave the land with the council that way everyone gets to enjoy it (including maori and Chinese). If council sell it, the money will only get lost in the wash ( paying $500,000,000 debt its accumulated).
Leave it with council
Posted on 02-09-2013 17:29 | By kb
Leave the land with the council that way everyone gets to enjoy it (including maori and Chinese). If council sell it, the money will only get lost in the wash ( paying $500,000,000 debt its accumulated).
KB
Posted on 03-09-2013 09:50 | By Good day
In some cases I's agree with you, but where there is something that has gone on in the past that is dodgy, Council holding onto it isn't right. And if Iwi want title without exclusive possession i.e. maintaining public access, with no remuneration, both groups win. The problem is that pakeha tar Maori with the same brush, you mowris failed up North you put a toll up there, you let the grass grow unkept, youre all the same. But not all maori are the same. Hopefully most pakeha have good maori friends to illustrate my point. If not it probably explains the fear on here.
Democracy
Posted on 03-09-2013 21:16 | By ow
If it was put to a referendum do you think the preferred option of the people would be to keep 100% council ownership or give title to a single race based group ? (who sold it once already!)
An option that nobody wants to know about
Posted on 03-09-2013 22:05 | By Murray.Guy
I have been advocating for discussion with Maori Elders, to better clarify their relationship with the area and what they hope to achieve by securing the european title. It may well be that there is another option that doesn't involve a change in title BUT recognises Maori aspirations. TCC Staff, Crs Baldock and friends are putting up barriers to these discussions at every turn.
ow
Posted on 04-09-2013 10:23 | By Good day
Take the race out of it and focus on ownership rights. Then how should a responsible government / local government treat its citizens regardless of race but based on rights where rights may have been breached in the past
Good day
Posted on 04-09-2013 17:16 | By kb
Please explain the dodgy things that went on in the past? The council is owned by the public (everyone no matter what race).The land should not owned by one race and I think your right with the tared brush thing , with taupo triathalon and up north.
Percentage Corporate Maori initative
Posted on 04-09-2013 19:54 | By ROCCO
Council have no sale policy for this & no evidence taken under PUBLIC WORKS ACT.It is zoned a Reserve and Council cannot sell it without going through due process.If TCC tried to sell the Mount Maunganui public would lynch them (as true owners and creators)poste haste.Maori interests are just playing mind games as usual.
kb
Posted on 05-09-2013 13:52 | By Good day
Lets look at the Matakana island example, if the government takes land from a landowner and compensates them for it but doesnt use it for that purpose, the government should offer it back. That applies whether you are maori or pakeha. When government doesn't do that we have a problem. In terms of the Mauao rec reserve go to the library.
Good day
Posted on 06-09-2013 16:19 | By kb
To me compensate means you have received compensation for it, bought it off the maori, its the councils (everyones).
kb
Posted on 09-09-2013 09:48 | By Good day
That sounds like a reasonable view kb, and in most cases that would be fair enough, but if land is taken for one purpose under the Public Works Act and not used for that purpose or becomes surplus it should be offered back to those who had it taken from them (even though compensation was given). Thats not a pro maori thing, thats the law and how it applies to anyone regardless of their background. Offering it back is compensating for the forced taking of the land in the first place.
The Gravy Train rolls on
Posted on 11-09-2013 16:15 | By Equality
The council owns the land! The council represent the people of Tauranga, therefore we all own the land - whatever race! It was bought and paid for at the time. I can't see that it matters if it was not used for a specific purpose. If I sold a section and was told by the buyer it was purchased in order to build a church, then he built a motel instead - I would have no redress to claim back the land! As long as those in authority continue to pander to the whims of the Maori - the gravy train will roll on and on and on ......
Equality
Posted on 12-09-2013 09:26 | By Good day
There is a difference between the scenario you have illustrated. In your example you are freely contracting with another party. In a Public Works Act scenario you are not freely contracting, you are having the process forced on you, that is why Parliament puts in place protective measures because of the power imbalance between an individual or group of individuals and the power of Parliament. Again that law favours equality, the equality that you are seeking to dismiss from Maori who seek relief from it.
Ieuan
Posted on 26-09-2013 10:51 | By Ieuan
Murray Guy - are you saying that TCC staff, Baldock and his friends are wanting the continuing saga of Maori demands being met and bowed down to. How do TCC staff get to have so much say in the matter? Do you really think that talking to iwi leaders will get you far. They know what they want and they will push to get it. Look at the papakainga (free) housing at Wairoa Marae that I was told about and I believe they want a share of the infrastructure fund for roading, I may be wrong but have been told that. Clarify your position for a vote please Murray Guy. Are you against the iwi demands or not as it is OTT.
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