Different treatment claim over SCF bailout

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Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell has compared the $1.8 billion bailout of South Canterbury Finance investors with the Treaty settlements and says Maori are "amazed" at the different public reactions.

"It is not that long ago that ALL of Maoridom was offered $1 billion as a fiscal envelope package to settle EVERY breach of the Treaty of Waitangi," Mr Flavell wrote in his weekly Whakatane Beacon column.

"At the time there was a huge uproar from the general public that Maori got any money, and from Maori who said that amount was an insult.

"The package was roundly rejected but we have continued with the settlements process knowing they will get no more than 2 percent of the real value of the claims.

"With the finance company, we have some 30,000 people who chose to invest in it, firstly being given more than every Maori in the country and second, they lose nothing because they will be repaid their investments. There has been a restrained reaction to all of this so you would understand why Maori would look in amazement at such actions," Mr Flavell said.