Why Finlayson is being disingenuous with the truth over Whakatōhea Settlement

Rushed mandate could cost Crown after Waitangi Tribunal rules in iwi’s favour
The Crown faces a growing bill over an iwi settlement that the Waitangi Tribunal says was rushed because the previous Government wanted to complete all deals by 2020.

In its report released on Tuesday, the Tribunal concluded the Crown, under the previous Government, had failed to act “reasonably, honourably and in good faith” when it entered into settlement negotiations with the Whakatōhea Pre-settlement Claims Trust on behalf of the wider iwi.

Judge Michael Doogan said, “we believe it came about because the Crown effectively prioritised its political objective of concluding settlements by mid-2020 over a process that was fair to Whakatōhea.

I was in Opotiki last month talking with local Māori about their treaty deal with the Crown and the bombshell revelation that the Crown rushed through the settlement is a huge local topic I can safely say shows the total disingenuous nature of Finlayson’s claims that he did nothing wrong.

Local Iwi were told Finlayson wanted to tour the region but their worry was that he was wanting to do it to look like he had consulted with Māori in Opotiki. Local Iwi told the Crown in no uncertain terms that if Finlayson turned up he would be escorted directly off their land.

Finlayson managed to do a very quick mini tour that was kept quiet in case local Iwi found out.

There is much to be unhappy with in Opotiki and you can see why.

You get the impression via cultural narratives that colonialism is some fixed historical event in the past, but in Opotiki you can see Pakeha stealing Māori land everywhere you turn.

The horror of the Waiotahi Drifts should be a nation wide disgrace but few outside the region would have heard of it. Effectively a developer bought up a large Māori cemetery and built houses on it and it’s become a symbol to locals how corrupted things have become in that part of the country.

Local Iwi were suspicious of Finlayson’s pretend visit and knew he was intending to use it to make it look like consultation had occurred when really it had not. That the new Government are now having to deal with his unacceptable behaviour should anger Pakeha and Māori.