Chris Finlayson: Former Treaty Negotiations Minister on the Ihumātao committee

A former Minister holds the view that the Ihumātao committee's achieved nothing.  

Documents seen under the Official Information Act show that Māori Development Minister Tama Potaka considered dissolving the committee. 

It's now been almost four years since the previous Labour Government supported the sale of the land, after controversial protests.   

Former Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson told Mike Hosking all this group is capable of doing is talking.    

He says he wouldn't give them an ultimatum, he'd just boot them now. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You remember ire Motel, Fletcher Building's occupation to Den and
Willie Jackson's intervention. Since then, well crickets. As it turns out,
we've got new do Documents from the Marie Development Minister's
office shows a group that was supposed to get it
sorted obviously hasn't and the bill for not really doing
much is half a million dollars and climbing a former
treaty negotiations. Minister Chris finleson back with us, Chris, morning
to you, good morning. Where should this go?

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Well, I'd fire the lot of them immediately because they're hopeless.
Effect they qualify to be Wellington City councilors. And then
what I would do is talk to muk Honick of
Nati Manohiri. He and Rick Kane worked together on the
Ti Golf Course development. You could develop a beautiful golf
course there. You could get Toko Morgan to build one

(00:43):
of his hotels. Opportunities for employment for young people. It's
not a new idea. I cloaded it with Duncan of
Art four years ago on his Breakfast program.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
And why then hasn't that happened? Seeing it's such a
piece of genius, Chris.

Speaker 2 (00:56):
Because some people all are capable of doing is talking
and talking incessantly and pulling in a thir DNC And.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
So what is it this group? When you set up
a group like this, are they supposed to have some meetings?
Er very now and again report back to a minister
and say we had a meeting and they said this,
and so you say that is that what happens?

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Yeah? But these guys, I mean, I've had four years
of just talking incessantly that I've achieved nothing. I wouldn't
give them an ultimatum. I just boot them down.

Speaker 1 (01:24):
And as he hemota, I mean, was that's a good
example of politics, isn't it? Basically? I mean, was it
ever the issue it needed to be?

Speaker 2 (01:32):
No? It was a fucking decision in twenty twenty and
we're reaping the benefits of a dumb decision now.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
All right, Nice to talk to you, Chris, appreciate it
very much. Chris fin lesson form a treaty negotiations, Minister
will sackam? Should we sack them? And who's Duncan mentioned
Duncan's program

Speaker 2 (01:49):
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