Mana Whenua - Working it out

That's 11 - there's 13 according to these guys at the hikoi yesterday.


Following yesterday's impressive hikoi and the solidarity amongst the present Mayors (not Banks of course) there is optimism that some sort of Maori representation in Auckland will come next year. But the logic is that if the Crown does not recognise Tangata Whenua authority and if they deny a right to participate at the top table of governance in Auckland, then they - as signatories of the Treaty (that made the government possible in the first place) - should be able to exclude themselves completely from anything to do with the new Council.

The Crown could recognise them and their territory held under tikanga Maori directly as the republican form of settler government does in the US (although they use the word "sovereignty" when they speak of the relationship between the federal government and the native American nations). That's if a compromise cannot be reached. That's what the Maori Party must put in the legislation if no reps are on.

The irony in all this is that the local Iwi want an inclusive model, but the government's intransigence and their suggestion of a Maori forum instead could be viewed as a type of separatism. What would wake the government up? Threaten to take it to that level - put it on the table - so the government are aware of the alternative.

Hide goes on about "one man - one vote" and now Sharples seems to have tried to work that into his proposals. He was talking about using the maori roll yesterday on RNZ - that would give the Maori Party possible advantages should they want to pursue local politics (which I'm sure they will not). Sharples was saying electoral colleges and candidates having to be Tangata Whenua as examples of the sorts of possibilities.

NZ Herald:

Mr Key said he had discussed with Dr Sharples a proposal from iwi for Maori representation.

Dr Sharples said the iwi proposal by Ngati Whatua and Tainui, which has gone to the Cabinet, made provision for electing mana whenua representatives to the Auckland Council.

'We've come up with a way that we can democratically elect mana whenua on to this council our way that is still voting and still democratic."

The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance called for two ward-based Maori seats and a third seat appointed by mana whenua (local iwi).

Good - the compromise positions are being debated at the top level now. The government has come up with this continuum of second tier boards for the über city - that needs to be done with Maori representation as a guide so that we can get from the amorphous to the concrete.---
Mana Whenua - continuum of options

Crown to recognise Iwi as being independent sovereign states (ie. before Treaty)
Max. Mana Whenua

Min. Mana Whenua

Council to have: Present system (Local govt. forms ad hoc Maori consultative/advisory committees of invited Maori they recognise as Tangata Whenua. Option of holding referendum of total population to determine if there should be Maori wards using Maori parliamentary electoral roll, as they have done on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.)
---

The other two issues I haven't heard raised yet:

1. The current Foreshore & Seabed review panel has a mandate to inquire into Mana Whenua - their opinion must be worth something.

2. The Auckland District Maori Council and esp. their hold over the Maori Wardens. Winston Peters gave the Wardens a huge funding boost last year - but the appointment and accountability for the wardens is sourced from the Maori Community Development Act 1964 and that is through committees of the district Maori Council - which was established for the purpose of social working and alcohol control (as I understand it). Because it was a Crown device that did not recognise mana whenua the urban areas used it to most effect - at least that's my impression. What of it's future? If we talk about Rangatiratanga and Mana Whenua how can we not include the Maori constabulary?