Housing Minister Nick Smith is not convinced that the Māori King is seeking revenge by pursuing an old Treaty claim to Auckland land.
Nick Smith Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
King Tūheitia of Waikato-Tainui has refreshed a 1992 claim for land which extends from Warkworth to Piha.
Waikato-Tainui and Ngāti Whātua are heading to the High Court as they believe they should be the first to be offered Government land set aside for housing.
Waikato-Tainui spokesperson Tukoroirangi Morgan said the King would not have pursued the 1992 claim now if the Government had not pushed its land sale in Auckland.
But the Minister Nick Smith told reporters today that he had not heard that from Mr Morgan in the two times he had recently met with him, and he did not think it was correct that the claim was made in revenge.
Dr Smith said the Government was working with iwi in Tāmaki Makaurau to resolve the housing issues.
