Minister mulls dissolving Ihumātao committee after four years, $500k spent and no solution

The Māori Development Minister has cautioned the group tasked with deciding the future of Ihumātao – which has so far cost the Crown $500,000 – that they could be shown the door, if they fail to find a solution.
It has been almost four years since former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern oversaw the purchase of the highly-disputed Auckland land from Fletcher Building for $29.9 million.
The deal ended a long-standing protest over commercial development at Ihumātao, and was struck under the proviso part of the land would be used for Māori housing.
Since 2020, Ihumātao has been in limbo.
Then minister-in-charge and current Labour spokesman Willie Jackson has told Newstalk ZB that Treaty settlements sometimes take decades.
“Māori need to be given time, given the unfairness and injustice that has come our way,” Jackson said.
But documents released to Newstalk ZB under the Official Information Act show minister Tama Potaka’s growing frustration at the lack of progress.
A memo of issues discussed at a meeting on May 10 shows one mana whenua group warned there was no confidence in the Roopu Whakahaere (steering group) to settle a decision.
The representative for Te Kawerau ā Maki did not attend, instead putting forward a letter which said the group could not form a consensus.
“Concerns continue to have not been addressed prior to the operation of Te Roopu Whakahaere and present a material barrier to its functioning”, they wrote – citing an “undermining of mana”.
They propose the land be kept untouched for a generation, to allow relationships to resettle.
“The only alternative is a housing development, which is exactly where we started.”
In response, the aide memoire reveals Potaka “raised the idea [that] if the Roopu Whakahaere is not working, then dissolve the Roopu Whakahaere and find something that will work”.
The same document also shows officials advised the minister to discuss at the next meeting on July 3 whether, if the steering group was “not fit for purpose”, to “dissolve it for something that is”.
Despite this, the minister denied there had been discussions as to whether Te Roopu Whakahaere was “fit for purpose” – and said he had not met with members since July.
In a statement, Potaka said no other options have been considered to date.
“At the last meeting, it was acknowledged that the role of Te Roopu Whakahaere is not an easy one.”
Potaka said he continued to have confidence in the steering group, but did not directly comment on the proposal to dissolve it.
Meanwhile, Labour’s Jackson has warned if Potaka carried out the threat, hīkoi and protests at Ihumātao would “blow up” at a scale which would shock the country.
“Is this really what this Government wants?” Jackson said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised with this Government. The stupidity continues, the disrespect continues in terms of Māori.”
Meanwhile, the Crown has spent half a million dollars on running the committee to date.
Documents show Te Puni Kōkiri (the Ministry of Māori Development) has contributed $200,000 to cover costs for the steering group.
A contract valued at $300,000 was also entered into with the office of the Kīngitanga in June last year, to engage with the local community and produce a report on potential land use options.
Jackson said disestablishing the group now would see that money go to waste.
“I don’t think it’s unfair to put money into the group. You want results and the community and Māori will benefit.”
Potaka did not respond to questions about whether the costs were appropriate.