A group of MPs is urging some Aucklanders to improve their relationships with the local hapu, Ngati Whatua o Orakei.
The suggestion has been made by the Maori Affairs Select Committee, which has been examining the sub-tribe's Treaty settlement bill - and is now recommending the package becomes law.
Politicians were asked to investigate when some North Shore residents strongly opposed the Crown's plan to sell 3.2 hectares of coastal navy land to the hapu, as part of its commercial redress.
Some people in the suburb of Devonport feared the land at Narrow Neck would be developed after the Defence Force finishes using it.
However, the committee says it's listened to all of the arguments and recommends that the bill is passed into legislation, with only minor changes to the wording.
Members say they were disheartened by the number of submitters who opposed the bill on the grounds of mistrust and misunderstanding.
The MPs say effective communication between locals and Ngati Whatua o Orakei would improve understanding of differences and avoid mistrust.
The politicians say the sale of land would not limit coastal access, and any building plans would be subject to the same regulatory constraints as any other development.
