13 Jun 2012

Coromandel family frustrated by DoC

7:29 pm on 13 June 2012

A member of the Hauraki iwi, Ngati Tamatera, says the Department of Conservation is attempting to remove him and his whanau from Maori land.

DoC terminated Victor McLean's tenancy at a property on the Coromandel peninsula because it says the property is sub-standard and needs work done.

Mr McLean and his family have been caretakers of the property in Kuaotunu for seven years and he says he doesn't believe the property needs maintenance that justifies moving them.

The family has remained on the property despite their tenancy being terminated in March and DoC has gone to the Tenancy Tribunal.

Mr McLean says the Crown doesn't own the land - and DoC has no right to remove him and his family.

He says his attempts to negotiate with DoC have been ignored.

Mr McLean says he's frustrated that his attempts to negotiate with DoC have been ignored.

DoC says it's treating the situation as a tenancy issue and not a land ownership dispute.