Maori, not only want their land back, they want their whole country back. It is estimated 8.3 million hectares, about 73% of the North Island, and the entire South Island, were illegally taken from Maori through land confiscation and inequitable purchases between 1840 and 1939.

Land occupations by Maori protectors (not protestors) have cropped up across New Zealand. There are many complex questions to be answered by the Pakeha (European) government in Wellington concerning Maori ownership of most of New Zealand.

Should Australia prepare itself for an influx of five million refugees from across the ditch? Oh, that may not be possible as the European has the same issues in Australia.

As the Maori say; Tenei whenua naku.

This land is my land.

Paul,

And what about the original inhabitants that were there before the Maori? should the other Pacific neighbours be prepared to take them back.

Most of these requests for "their" land back are rent-seeking tactics for more handouts from the other 85% of the population.

SM,

That is a furphy, there is no evidence that a mysterious people occupied Aotearoa before the arrival of the Polynesians between 700 and 1,000 years ago. The Moriori arrived in Aotearoa around 1400AD. Once believed to be a Melonesian people, it has now been established they to were of Polynesian origin. The Moriori migrated from Aotearoa to the Chatham Islands, 650 km away, around 1500AD.

I refute the cynical claim of "rent-seeking tactics". I have spoken to many Maori people about this issue, and all have an affinity with the land, and are not seeking monetary compensation.

In my wife's father's case. He was an illiterate man, he "sold" his 250 ac of excellent cattle fattening pasture, with road frontage, a house, spring fed creek, developed vegetable garden, fences and power connected for $500, not cash, but store credit. He actually believed he was signing a 40 year lease on the land, not a bill of sale on all, except the homestead and its surroundings about 5 ac, where he could live out his days. What did the new owner do, incorperated all the land he obtained by such tactics and then on sold it at a very handsome profit, estimated he received about $14,000 for the old man's parcel alone. The new owner then burn down 5 homesteads in the valley, to clear the occupants. That wasn't in the 1870's but in the 1970's. Today we are not seeking the return of the land through legal proceedings, but are willing to pay the present owner upto $100,000 to buy the land back. Now whose's the money grabber?

Will Paul1405 vacate/give the Australian land he occupies back to the original inhabitants ?

Dear Paul,

I'm not sure how all this will end.
Or how it will be resolved. I wish
them well and perhaps a compromise
can be reached that will satisfy all parties.

Hi Foxy,

Yes, the final outcome will be of interest. I see a couple of the forums Usual Suspects not being able to argue the facts, look to diversion as an out.

Something to ponder;

Between 1864 and 1867 the NZ Pakeha government confiscated 3.25 million acres of Maori tribal land on the grounds that Maori had been in rebellion against the sovereignty of the Crown. The Maori had "rebelled" because of frequent violations of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Pakeha government even confiscated land from Maori who had not been in rebellion, as a so called deterant should they also rebell.

Today we make much of "the rule of law", but for some it only applies when it suits. Legal people agree, the NZ Settlements Act 1863, which was used to justify this land grab was illegal in itself. A crime committed 160 years ago is as crimnal as a crime committed yesterday.

Gives Putin an idea, the Ukrainian Settlement Act 2022, he can take the whole bloody country on the grounds the Ukrainians have been "rebellious". BTW the NZ government has condemned Russia for illegally taking land. Okay well we have our standards.