New iwi committee to get support from Maori advisor

A new job has been created at the New Plymouth District Council – a Maori policy adviser that comes with an annual salary of more than $75,000.

The position sits in the council’s iwi relationships team and will work with the new Te Huinga Taumatua Committee.

The job advertisement said the successful candidate would ‘‘create and contribute to the development, implementation and integration of council policies to ensure the statutory requirements and obligations in relation to Maori and the Treaty of Waitangi/ Te Tiriti o Waitangi are met’’.

The committee was given the go-ahead by the council last month and will generate items for the council to consider and make recommendations on council issues.

It can also make decisions on things like naming and renaming roads and council reserves and determining marae development grant applications greater than $10,000, without having to go through to the full council.

Councillor Gordon Brown, who is a member of Te Huinga Taumatua Committee, said having that support was important.

‘‘There will be some research that needs to be done. All committees ask questions and it’s important they get accurate answers and that takes people’s time. It will need secretarial support.’’

The iwi in New Plymouth have nearly all settled their treaty claims and were becoming an economic force, he said.

‘‘We need to work with them on economic matters, hopefully for mutual benefit for us and the wider community.’’

The NPDC committee has been a long time coming, Brown said.

‘‘Lots of committee and sub committees are all resourced to ensure they work effectively. And this has been done within existing budgets so there’s no cost to anybody.’’

The council already has two staff members working in the iwi liaison team, but it would be unfair to add working with the committee to their workload, Brown said.

‘‘It’s important the community understands this is not making the role any bigger than it need be at all.’’

South Taranaki District Council has had one iwi liaison adviser for about seven years, who provided direction and advice to council, iwi and hapu on matters of importance to Maori, assisted in developing policy and strategic partnerships and supported the STDC’s iwi liaison committee.