19 Sep 2019

Ardern leaves Ihumātao issues for govt ministers at home

From Checkpoint, 6:10 pm on 19 September 2019

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is looking to take a more hands-off approach to the Ihumātao dispute while she's overseas, saying she expects other ministers to deal with it until she's back in New Zealand.

Ms Ardern is in Japan, where she met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier on Thursday.

Back home, the Māori king, Kīngi Tuheitia, says mana whenua have reached a consensus - that they want Ihumātao back from building developer Fletchers.

A few months ago in July, Ms Ardern intervened and a halt was put on any building on the site until the dispute was resolved.

Speaking to reporters in Tokyo a short time ago, she was asked whether there would been any recent discussions with Fletchers.