To be more precise I am talking about the 112 acre plot of disputed land in the heart of Parramatta, Sydney. The claim is now before the Federal Court.

Background to the Maori land claim; In 1811 Paramount Maori Chief, Kawiti visited the Rev Samuel Marsden (good, and much loved friend of Maori) at Ruatara’s farm at Rangihou, Parramatta. This visit by Kawiti resulted in a section of land in the Field of Mars, being gifted to Chief Kawiti by the Barramarragul Aboriginal Clan Leader Corrangie. Corrangie marked a line across his land, cutting notches in the stumps of trees with a knife. When asked what he was doing, he replied that he was marking out a farm for Kawiti, who was to return as soon as possible with one hundred men to work it.

In return for this gift of goodwill and friendship (land) it was agreed that Rev Marsden's Church Mission Society could set up a Christian mission station in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, this duly took place in 1814. The Rev Marsden sent two missionaries, Kendall and Hall, to open communication with Maori Chief Ruatara and get the Maori reaction to the missionaries living among them. They were well received, after the generosity shown to Chief Kawiti in 1811. Rev Marsden invited Maori Chiefs and their families to come and live with him in Parramatta, to be educated, and as a sign of friendship. The invitation was also designed to stimulate trade. It helped guarantee safe passage and protection for Europeans travelling to New Zealand, both missionaries and settlers. Many Maori did travel to Parramatta, and several Maori children are burred on this (Marsden) sacred land.

http://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2019/08/23/nz-maori-minister-urges-rangihou-people-think-again-after-sydney-land-clai

BTW; My wife has received much chatter on 'Facebook' concerning the above land claim, with Lady Crown leading the fight!

Why am I not surprised !

Already the benefits have started to flow. In a magnanimous gesture of generosity and goodwill, the Rangihou Tribal Council attempted to reduce the parking fee at the Rangihou Car Park by 33% from $12 to $8 for all day parking, both for pakeha and native alike, unfortunately this was not successful, due to unprovoked intervention by the police forces of the neighbouring state of Australia. However, I am confident the Nation of Rangihou have no intention, at this stage, of introducing an expensive visa system for Australians and other foreign aliens visiting the sovereign nation of Rangihou.

Hi Paul,

Kendall was a fascinating man. He brought the first ship-load of bibles over from Sydney around 1814 to Kororareka (later called Russell) in the Bay of Islands: the ship had at least one Aboriginal crewman. His school there (once he had mastered the Maori language) was the first Western-type school in New Zealand. He later ran off with a Maori maiden (from Kawakawa?), went to sea and eventually perished off the coast of Chile.

But about Rangihou: land ownership is not national sovereignty. Even if the story is true, the underlying title to that land still belongs to the Aboriginal group which granted Chief Kawiti's right to use it. And these days, underlying that power is the national sovereignty of the Australian state.

Cheers,

Joe

Dear Paul,

Thank You for telling us about the Maori
Land Claim. I'll have to find out more about it.
Having grown up in Parramatta - it certainly is
of interest to me. Fascinating stuff.

cont'd ...

Not sure about the recovery of land.

Does it have any statutes of limitations?

And did the man who gave the "gift" have
the legal right to do so?

Amusing really, when New Zealanders make up the majority of people held in Australian immigration detention centres and are the largest nationality group to have their visas cancelled.

Lets also not forget the immigrants who come from
the UK and the US, as well.

Australia is the only country in the world with a
policy of mandatory detention and off shore
processing of asylum seekers without a valid visa.

Indefinite detention violates many national and
international laws including human rights laws.

Why can't people be processed more quickly? If other
countries can do it - what's wrong with us?

Take a look at the recent fiasco of that Tamil family.

The subject has me bound up, try to take part in all threads bar a few to mad,
But not sure a nation, or any part of it [other than Embassy grounds] has any right to a land claim
Saw Joes post and agree, will continue to read but may excuse myself

Belly,

I would guess that this is yet another dodgy attempt at rent seeking.

Foxy, illegal entrants, ie those arriving by sea without passports etc
are held in detention because they have destroyed their passports etc.
They do that on the smugglers instructions. Having done that their
nationality cannot be proven and they are then rejected by the country
it is believed they have left.
The government even employs language experts to try and identify their nationality.
It is known that they had passports or else they could not have got
to Indonesia or Malaysia. So when people destroy passports they have
already committed an offense.
Then some are surprised that they are held in detention !

Bazz, Foxy, all others well this thread has taken that turn, the one not only us but our country takes
Refugees and Migration
KNOW Paul Foxy, others,will think I am cruel, indeed anti Labor
BUT right now Labor must confront this truth
Enough voters vote against us, because of this issue,to see it near impossible to win an election
This subject even untruly, is the best weapon SCOMO has
The world has turned right,even Britten leaving the EU, is because of worldwide rejection, of both refugees and migration
Once we confront that truth the whole world must, please tell me it will,find answers to end wars that force people to flee
And by increasing Aid, by big amounts, help build a life for refugees

I need to expand and explain my view,the center and yes left in world politics has a duty to end the drift to the right
The task of educating the voters powering the rights growth is beyond us
So while we did not get the Malaysian solution up, we must never stop trying, world wide
Sending boat arrivals back instantly,but increasing intake is an answer
But so to is massive increases in aid well managed thief proof aid,
We will need to move towards those voters but not leave our heart behind
Achievable change is better than no change

Dear Bazz and Belly,

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for checks and double
checks on people wanting to come into this country
no matter who they are. However why do we have to
put them into indefinite off-shore detention?
That's what I don't get. Why can't they be processed
much faster - as we do with those arriving by plane?

Foxy, once they are on Australian soil, they then have access to out courts.

As is obvious from the current shemozzle, that costs us millions, & years.