6 Nov 2012

Relativity payout of $140m 'unfair' - researcher

8:20 pm on 6 November 2012

A political research group says a settlement clause entitling two of the country's richest iwi to another 70 million dollars each is unfair, considering the economic climate.

Ngai Tahu and Waikato-Tainu will both receive extra money from the Crown.

They negotiated for a special clause to be put in their packages when they resolved their historical grievances, to ensure their position is not overtaken by other tribes with later settlements.

This relativity clause kicks in when the value of all settlement payments reaches $1 billion in terms of 1994 dollars.

New Zealand Centre for Political Research researcher Mike Butler says this is money for nothing.

Both the Government and the tribes need to be asked serious questions as to whether they should receive this money when the rest of the country is being told to restrain spending, he says.