Ihumātao back in Government’s court

The Herald reports:

The Māori king, Kīngi Tūheitia, says mana whenua have finally reached consensus over what to do with Ihumātao – they want it back.

What an amazing surprise. How did that take two months to decide?

“Mana whenua agreed the return of the land is outside of the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process and therefore requires an innovative and modern solution that does not financially disadvantage iwi.”

The mana whenua can agree what they like, but there is no way other Iwi will not see any Govenment grant or loan to buy the land as anything other than an additional settlement. It will incentivise every other Iwi to do the same.

Also it would destroy the 40 years of near-unanimous support in Parliament for historical Treaty settlements as the support was contingent on them being full and final.