Paula Bennett: National claims Government will announce Ihumātao deal

The National Party claims that the Government will announce this week that they are buying back Ihumātao. The heritage site was sold to Fletcher Building as a housing development site, but the site has become a tense battleground, with protesters demanding the site be returned to the iwi as it is sacred to them. The Government asked Fletchers last year to halt plans to begin construction and has sought to find a solution to the problem. National leader Simon Bridges has now claimed a deal has been sorted – but it will be announced this week while both Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters are out of the country. Deputy leader Paula Bennett told The Weekend Collective that this is so neither one of them will have to answer questions about the deal. “It’s not going to reflect well on them. It’s just looking like protesters can do what you do and the Government will end up paying more, I would imagine.” However, Bennett cannot confirm that there will be public money, but she understands that will be the case. Bridges says the Crown will buy the land and put it into a trust for heritage purposes. He says Auckland Council won't be involved. Last week, Fletchers announced its first-half results for the financial year, and in it criticised the delay. Newstalk ZB understands a decision over the contested land is close - but not imminent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.