Auckland Regional Amenities Funding

I come to this Bill knowing that neither the opinions of my constituency, nor the opinions of the neighbouring constituency of Te Tai Tokerau, have been canvassed about what Auckland-based amenities should reasonably qualify for funding through the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill being debated today.

I am wondering if this is just par for the course – another example of policy prejudice operating for decisions North of the Bombay Hills.

Because, of course, lack of consultation in Tamaki Makaurau is not a new occurrence.
We remember back in June of this year, when the Waitangi Tribunal reported that consultation by the Crown with iwi was “cavalier”, and “unfair” and conducted in a “generally un-cooperative manner”.

We read the depressing findings that Ngati Te Ata, Ngai Tai ki Tamaki, Te Kawerau a Maki, Marutuahu, the Hauraki Maori Trust Board and Te Taou, had been explicitly excluded from the discussions leading to the Tamaki Makaurau settlement.

And so, coming to this new Bill, which is to address the need for specified amenities in the Auckland region, we are disappointed but definitely not surprised to find that there has been no specific consultation with mana whenua.

Let’s face it, this is a Government which does not value the rights of Indigenous People.
This is a Government which sees the rights of Indigenous People as ‘incompatible’ with their policy.
This is a Government which opposes the rights of Indigenous People to be ‘aspirational’ – meaning of course to have hope or ambition to achieve one's goals.

This is a Government which in voting against the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People; voted against the right of tangata whenua to have hope or ambition to achieve for ourselves.

So I have to ask Mr Speaker, who could possibly think that any one would dare to have hope that indigenous rights will be protected by this Government?

This Bill, the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill, is yet another example in which there has been no inclusion and seemingly no consideration of Maori facilities and services.

This Bill has wilfully ignored the views of mana whenua and what they consider the priorities to be for the adequate, sustainable and secure funding of facilities which promote the arts, education, rescue operations or community development.

In fact even although I am the Member for Tamaki Makaurau (and a Maori) which includes all of Auckland, the Minister for Auckland did not deem it necessary to consult with me or mana whenua.

And so, it falls to us, of the Maori Party, to speak out here and during the Committee stage of this Bill we will be introducing a Supplementary Order Paper to include Maori organisations as ‘specified amenities’ and thus as recipients of some of the funding.

Two of the proposed organisations that we consider worthy of inclusion are the Tamaki Makaurau Senior Kapa Haka Society Limited, and the Auckland Regional Outrigger Canoe Association.

The Tamaki Makaurau Senior Kapa Haka Society Limited has been considered a worthy facility to be included in this Bill, in order to ensure high standards of kapa haka in the many adult kapa that exist in Auckland City.

We believe also, that the intention of this Bill to make Auckland a vibrant and attractive place to live in and visit, can only prosper from their inclusion.

Our SOP will provide for support to the Kapa Haka Society to help with their annual competitions and festivals and also to run wananga to train new leaders and to assist in composition and Maori performing arts.

Mr Speaker, I have to admit to being astounded that the Maori cultural component has not been addressed in this strategy which is all about enhancing the well-being of this region.

Cultural tourism is essential to the creation and shaping of our unique national identity.
Quality performances which demonstrate cultural authenticity are a vital context for the international tourist industry, as well as articulating our distinctive identity.

In addition, the numerous marae within the Auckland region are actively involved in providing traditional Maori powhiri and hospitality, and wananga services on behalf of the various government agencies, industry and all of the local authorities.

The Tamaki Makaurau Senior Kapa Haka Society Ltd is a main source of education and skills training in the activities of marae operations.

The other aspect that will be addressed in our amendment is inclusion of the Auckland Regional Outrigger Canoe Association –another significant resource in developing our young people, in strengthening our whanau and in enhancing our unique cultural identity in that region.

We will be recommending that the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill include provision to ensure that waka ama be resourced for the Auckland City area.

Mr Speaker, I note with some irony that the key facilities addressed in this Bill – the Planetarium; the Auckland Philharmonia; the Auckland Theatre Company; the NZ Opera Limited, the Auckland Festival Limited are institutions which are recognised as being more familiar to ‘Middle New Zealand’ than to the constituency and population of areas such as Mangere, Otara; Manurewa, Otahuhu, Te Atatu, Ranui and Kelston.

The information supplied to us by ‘Together, Creating a better Auckland for everyone’, confirms that only 13% of the population of Manukau ever have occasion to use the eleven organisations included within this Bill.

And yet, the proposal is that this same region - through the Manukau City Council - will be expected to bank roll the funding of these organisations, providing 23% of the funds for the first year.

This is the same region, which in June this year, councillors voted to raise rates for water charges by 4.9% and wastewater rates by 9.4%.

This is the same region which earlier this year, faced the loss of 350 jobs with the closure of the Fisher and Paykel plant in East Tamaki.

This is the same region in which between 1991 and 2001, rents shot up by a massive 68% for Maori households.
This is the region which will feel the cost of recent hikes to butter and milk prices more dramatically than most other regions in the country.

And yet it is this region which is being charged for almost a quarter of the costs for the Auckland wide initiative.
There is no justification to make the primarily Maori and Pasifika population of Manukau pay to a far greater extent than other regions within the Auckland metropolis – particularly when there is little in the list of eleven which reflects Aotearoa as a part of the Pacific.

There are some serious questions about equity and fairness that need to be addressed at the select committee stage.
We are extremely concerned about the impact of this Bill on the region – but we also want Maori and Pasifika populations to benefit – should there be an opportunity for them to do so.

So we will support this Bill through to select committee in order to allow the voices of tangata whenua and our Pacific whanaunga to be heard in this Parliament.

Thank you Mr Speaker.