Forest-use ban of 50 years proposed

Press, 28 November 1988, Page 3

Forest-use ban of 50 years proposed

PA Wellington A confidential report to the Government recommends that successful Maori claimants to land used for State forestry be prevented from using their land for at least 50 years.

The report recommends the term of forestry rights — the time before the Maori owners can use the land — be two crop rotations, according to the "Dominion” newspaper. With a pinus radiata crop this term would be about 50 years, the report says. The report also recommends the Government by-pass the Treaty of Waitangi (State-Owned Enterprises) Act, as it says the provisions of the act would cost the Government money. The Forestry Working Group was set up in August to advise the Government on the sale of the Crown’s commercial forestry interests and is

chaired by a Treasury official, Mr John Chetwin. The “Dominion” said it obtained a copy of the group’s report to the Ministers of Finance and State-Owned Enterprises, dated October 19. The report said maximum revenue was the working group’s most important consideration in looking at sale options for state-owned forests. It recommends the Crown retain ownership of forestry land, but that it sell forestry rights for milling. The report said if the Crown keeps title to the land it could act on a recommendation from the Waitangi Tribunal to return ownership to a Maori

claimant, just as it could before the establishment of State-owned enterprises. “Ownership of land can be returned immediately. What is directly affected by sale of a forestry right is when full use of the land becomes available to the owner.” However, if the land was transferred to Forestcorp, forestry rights would be subject to the act, which was set up to protect claims of land ownership before the Waitangi Tribunal. The report says the provisions of the act would restrict profits from logging ventures by placing conditions on forestry rights.

It recommends the Government by-pass the act by not transferring land titles. “Over all, the Forestry Working Group believes the potential discount by purchasers is likely to be significant enough to affect whether it is worthwhile selling some of the Crown’s commercial forestry assets. Because of this we do not recommend that the assets should be subject to the act,” the report said. But it said the Crown could still act consistently with the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, by negotiating alternative protections with Maoris "in the spirit of partnership”.