Maori seats decision a backward step: Manukau Mayor

Manukau Mayor Len Brown says the government’s decision not to include seats for Maori on the new Auckland Council lacks courage.

“Maori have been an integral part of the Manukau community and have made a huge contribution across the region, and the country,” says Mr Brown

“They have been very clear about their aspirations for the new council, and the Government had the opportunity to take a courageous step forward for the future of this city. They have not so far.”

Mr Brown is also questioning the process around the decision.

“I’m surprised that the government set up a sub-committee to look specifically at Maori representation and have not waited for their recommendations to be reported back,” says Mr Brown.

“This decision seems overly pre-emptive of the process. Local Government Minister Rodney Hide has often spoken of the importance of transparency, but where is that transparency now?”

“The Treaty of Waitangi provides for tangata whenua representation in Local Government. Having Maori seats on the new council would go a long way towards ensuring greater unity across the region.

“We will have 1.4 million people under the new umbrella and the aim is to unite everyone across the region. If the government wants people to support the super city and to build on this new council, you want people to feel included. I fear this has not happened in this case. “

Mr Brown says Manukau City Council supported Maori representation and allowing their contribution to decision making in its submission to the select committee.

“We are setting in place a structure that we hope will last a hundred years. We need to get this process right the first time. To not do so would create big problems for our city going forward,” says Mr Brown.