Jones slams M¯aori statue plan
NZ First MP Shane Jones has savaged a proposal for a giant statue of Papatu¯ a¯ nuku at Bastion Point, saying it is laughable that Aucklanders are forking out for the work.
Auckland Council has earmarked $1 million in its budget for the project but Nga¯ ti Wha¯ tua O¯ rakei spokesman Ngarimu Blair said the idea was unformed and it was ‘‘early days’’.
Stuff understands the idea for the statue, or pou, has been under discussion for 18 months by the Nga¯ ti Wha¯ tua O¯ rakei Reserves Board. This body is chaired by the iwi, includes Auckland councillor Desley Simpson and comanages the Bastion Point land.
But Jones, who is also the regional economic development minister and associate finance minister, ripped into the idea during an interview with Stuff yesterday.
‘‘The notion that the ratepayers of Auckland should foot the costs for this cultural mimicry promoted by the O¯ ra¯ kei hapu¯ is risible,’’ he said.
‘‘We need to bear in mind that the Ma¯ oris up at O¯ ra¯ kei do not have exclusive rights to promote a statue in the form of the earth goddess on behalf of anyone other than themselves.
‘‘If they want it for themselves, then they should spend their own money and not misrepresent the broader Ma¯ ori community that a statue, in the form of Christ The Redeemer out of Brazil, is an appropriate expression of Ma¯ ori identity, or indeed New Zealand identity.’’
Jones said he was speaking out on the proposal because ‘‘significant numbers of Ma¯ori’’ –
both Auckland ratepayers and those from the north – were aghast at the proposal, which Jones said had been put up ‘‘in the form of a cultural hot air balloon without any consultation, without any mandate and without a sliver of support’’.
‘‘If such a pretentious gesture is their long-term ambition, then pay for it yourselves.’’
Meanwhile, Nga¯ ti Wha¯ tua was trying to slow down talk of plans for the statue on its land at Bastion Point.
Blair said there was no approval yet from the landowner, Nga¯ ti Wha¯ tua Trust, and a wider piece of work was under way on Ma¯ ori tourism in Auckland.
The council’s 10-year budget includes up to $100,000 in funding to the reserves board this year, and up to a further $900,000 to realise the project in subsequent years but with the expectation of funding from other sources.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff had enthusiastically backed the idea of a statue of Papatu¯ a¯ nuku above the Waitemata Harbour.
Jones said he was ‘‘astounded’’ that Auckland Council had ‘‘spare change to give to Ma¯ oridom’s richest hapu¯ ’’ when the Government was supporting the city through a regional fuel tax.
Blair said that Nga¯ ti Wha¯ tua O¯ rakei knew 4 per cent of the tourism dollar in New Zealand was captured by Ma¯ ori.
‘‘Yet 70 per cent of the promotion of New Zealand is using our face, our moko.’’