Willie Jackson: Former Māori Development Minister on the Ihumātao deal

Labour's calling on the Māori Development Minister to keep the Ihumātao deal as it stands.

Documents seen by Newstalk ZB show that Tama Potaka is considering dissolving the committee dealing with the land.

It was bought in 2020 with a promise to put Māori housing in the area, putting an end to ongoing protests.

Māori Development Minister under Labour, Willie Jackson, told Ryan Bridge the Government should give them the space and honour the agreement.

He's telling Potaka not to cut things before they're finished.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Maori Development Minister Tama Paultucker has warned the group,
this is the group tasked with deciding the future of Ihumato,
that they could be shown the door if they can't
find a solution. The Crown bought Humato for thirty million
dollars back in twenty twenty. You remember that this is
to end the occupation over its commercial development. They wanted
to build houses there. Since then, there's been a group

(00:20):
and you may not have known this, a group of
monafenua and Crown reps who have been tasked with forming
a plan which must involve putting Maori harsing on the
disputed land. It hasn't happened yet. Willie Jackson's minister was
a Minister in charge at the time the Crown bought
the land. He's the current Labor Maori Development spokesperson. Mordena
Good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:40):
In Modina, Madina, Right.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Hey, good to have you on the show. So Tama
Pawtucker's basically said, if you guys can't sort your out,
then I might step in. Is that not fair enough?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, it's been given five years. So the xual agreement
was signed off in July are twenty two. That's when
we the crown put our representatives on. So we put
two representatives on and they were given five years. You know,
of course we want progress and all of that, but
I mean a deal is a deal, isn't it. You

(01:14):
see this governments into breaching that anything, it seems with
Copropa Maori. And yes we want things to happen, and
of course we want housing there, particularly for Co Marto.
But it's just it's just the sort of weekly attack,
isn't it all the Ford weekly or Ford mighty attack
on Mari. If it's not, if it's not this, then

(01:36):
it's a two or Maori. If it's not this, it's
treated legislation. If it's not, it's mary House.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
And yeah, but how can you before how can you
be four years on from the sale, you know, thirty
million dollars in public money, have no houses, no plan
and no idea of what's going on.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
Well, well, one there is I think there is a plan,
and two agree. Well people can't agree on some things.
But this was a five year agreement with the people.
So actually they speak very clear. If we didn't sign
off in terms of a deal until July twenty two,
and the deal was a five year deal. So you know,

(02:18):
just because you and Tama Portucker want things to happen tomorrow,
it doesn't always happen that way. And I think there
has to be some credibility shown and Marty has to
be given the space to do the deal. That's the
that's the reality. Now we can get all tough and say, oh,
you married's got to get it together tomorrow. We all
want housing, we all want the best for the community.

(02:39):
But let's just let's just work us through it. But
they get all you have to keep running the anti
Marti line that this government keeps running. And that's what's
incredibly disappointing. I live in not too far from Humato,
and people are sick of it. You know. We came
to a peaceful solution. But everyone well you will.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
Know then that the comataware who just want to live
there in a nice house that's insulated and warm and dry,
you know. And here we are, hang.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
On, hang on the co mart The king, okay, the
king was facilitating this prosis on behalf of the local
co mart and on behalf of everyone. And of course
that's what I want, and that's what the local co
martyrs want. But give them the space and honor the agreement.
That's all I'm saying. And if they don't, if they

(03:30):
don't hit their deadline before the agreement finishes, then obviously
you're into something else. But don't try cup things a
quarter of the way through it. I mean, I know
that's how you operate, Ryan, and you're the ones he fever.
Come on, mate, give the marri it's a fair crack.
He give us a bit of space. You know, we
deserve an opportunities.

Speaker 1 (03:48):
I'm god all right, Well, thank you for coming on.
I appreciate it. Have a good morning, Kildor Willy Jackson,
who's Labour's not the development spokesperson.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridget's Live to
News Talks.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
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