Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Nga Puhi woman fights for Sydney land

Updated at 8:26 am on 24 April 2012

A Nga Puhi woman living in Sydney says the Parramatta City Council is being intransigent over a piece of land it wants to sell that rightfully belongs to Maori.

Jennifer Holt-Alexander says the Rangihou Reserve, on the banks of the Parramatta River, was given to Maori by Reverend Samuel Marsden 200 years ago.

She wants the land returned by the council so a cultural centre can be built on it for both Maori and the local Darug Aboriginal people.

Ms Holt-Alexander says while not all Maori and Darug people support her, she does have support for her actions, including a 3000-signature petition to the council.

She says the council refuses to say how and when it first acquired the land.

Ms Holt-Alexander says the council won't meet with her or show her the title.

She says the Parramatta City Council wants to sell the land for $25 million.

Ms Holt-Alexander says the council brought forward the sale after she made people aware of what was happening and the land may be sold within a couple of months.

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