The Ihumatao deal has to be tidied up by Parliament.

The Auditor-General has deemed the Government's purchase of the south Auckland land unlawful.

It means that as things stand, the $30 million buy-out of the disputed land from Fletchers Building, is invalid.

Former Attorney-General Chris Finlayson told Tim Dower the Government didn't obtain the necessary authority from Parliament, and didn't organise a new appropriation of the land.

'These sorts of things happen from time-to-time.

"In an ideal world, the i's would have been dotted and the t's crossed."

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