Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Series of sale hui defended by English

Updated at 8:06 am on 9 February 2012

Finance Minister Bill English denies that a series of hui to explain partial sales of State asset is paying only lip service to Maori concerns.

The claim has been made by some of those who attended two hui on Wednesday.

Waikato Tainui, threatened legal action if section nine of the State Owned Enterprises Act, which protects the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, is not retained in legislation covering the sales.

Mr English told Morning Report that many issues around water clearly need to be explained and concerns about section nine were obvious at the hui.

But he said it's also clear Maori who attended took the meetings seriously, by showing up and listening to what was said.

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