Ma¯ori aren’t scary — kauma¯tua
Iwi, ha¯ pu and wha¯ nau representatives pushing for Ma¯ ori wards on the Waipa¯ District Council have met face to face with the elected members charged with making the decision.
More than 50 people attended the council’s iwi consultative committee meeting at Pa¯ ra¯ wera Marae where the only item on the agenda was Ma¯ ori wards.
People wasted no time getting stuck into the councillors, asking mayor Jim Mylchreest where he stood on the issue.
Mylchreest said the council had gone out to formal public consultation and he couldn’t show his hand because it would jeopardise the legislative process.
‘‘We have received a lot of public feedback and our responsibility is to consider it all and on May 19, that is when we can make a decision.’’
He said councils in the past had been caught out by councillors predetermining the outcome of an important decision.
Among those to speak to the hui was Dale-Maree Morgan, from Te Awamutu, who said she was registered on the Ma¯ ori electoral roll and wanted a chance to elect a Ma¯ ori councillor on her local council.
‘‘Think of it as the local government version of the seven Ma¯ ori seats in our Parliament.
‘‘This is desirable as mana whenua within a district have distinct perspectives which ought to be represented at the local government level.’’
Morgan also addressed criticism that Ma¯ ori wards were ‘‘racial separatism’’.
‘‘Conflating Ma¯ ori voices with separatism and racism accusations and using that as a justification to not have Ma¯ ori wards, is the kind of rhetoric that erases indigenous culture.
‘‘Ma¯ ori wards aren’t separatism. Ma¯ ori representation in local government means councils working in partnership with Ma¯ ori, not separate from them.’’
She said Ma¯ ori were ‘‘woefully under-represented’’ on councils.
‘‘Ma¯ ori knowledge and perspective are hugely beneficial when considering land use, conservation practices, climate crisis responses, local business tourism, and the protection of vulnerable communities, these are some examples.’’
Kauma¯ tua Te Umu Ki Whakatane McLean, who grew up in Pa¯ ra¯ wera, said the Treaty of Waitangi was about forming a partnership, between Ma¯ ori and the Crown.
‘‘I read your [council’s] blurb on Ma¯ ori wards and it used three words, one was partnership and that resonated with me.
‘‘You have about seven councillors but are talking about one Ma¯ ori ward.
‘‘I want to ask about that word partnership, because in my book, when I got married the partnership was 50-50.
‘‘It is not seven to one, not seven to three and so in my submission to you, I am asking for four Ma¯ ori wards.’’
He told the councillors that ‘‘Ma¯ ori people aren’t scary’’ and the council had a chance to make a decision people had waited many years for.
That was backed by Gaylene Roberts, who headed Nga¯ Iwi To¯ pu¯ o Waipa¯ . The group represents hapu¯ in the Waipa¯ district.
After the hui, Roberts spoke about her memories of becoming involved with the ‘‘first official contact’’ between Ma¯ ori and the council.
‘‘It was when the Resource Management Act was introduced and that required all councils to consult with iwi.
‘‘The mayor at the time, Bruce Berquist, started that conversation with iwi in 1990.’’
Since then an iwi consultative committee had been formed, Nga¯ Iwi To¯ pu¯ was set up and there were iwi representatives on council committees.
But Roberts said it had been 30 years since ‘‘first contact’’ and the next logical step was Ma¯ ori wards.