Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Hawke's Bay consultation wanted in SOE meetings

Updated at 6:44 am on 31 January 2012

Ngati Kahungunu iwi wants the Government to alter its list of venues for consultation hui with Māori over the partial sale of four state-owned enterprises (SOEs) to include Hawke's Bay.

On 8 February, the Finance and SOE ministers begin a series of nine meetings from Whangarei to Invercargill to talk with iwi about the legislative changes needed for 49% of Genesis and Meridian Energy, Mighty River Power and Solid Energy to be privatised.

The venues don't include one in Hawke's Bay, which means members of New Zealand's second largest tribe, will need to travel to Gisborne or Wellington to have their say.

Ngati Kahungunu Chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana, says that's not good enough.

He says kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face) is one of the tribe's standards and the preferred method of consulting on issues even within the tribe.

Mr Tomoana says it's very important the iwi is given the opportunity to express its views directly on the partial sale of SOEs.

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