For the fourth time in seven years, the Forum is considering a recommendation to seek legislative changes to the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act as outlined in the report ‘Updating and strengthening the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act’.
This report recommends several significant changes.
These include:- Changing
from a Forum into an Authority with statutory powers and functions.
- Changing
the composition of the Forum to a full co governance framework.
Co-governance leadership is envisioned, with equal membership between mana
whenua and what are called ‘others’. A degree of flexibility on
appointments is suggested in the proposal document.
- Introducing
a Statutory Vision for the Gulf which prevails over regional, and district
plans and relevant central government decision making.
- Exchanging
the term ‘tangata whenua’ (people of the land) for ‘mana whenua’
(customary authority exercised by an iwi or hapu) throughout the Act.
The Waikato River co-governance arrangement is referenced in
the report as a suggested model, the membership of which is made up of Crown
and Iwi appointees.
While there is a strong argument for the Forum to have
increased functions and powers in order to strengthen their ability to restore
and protect the Hauraki Gulf, this can be achieved under a democratically
elected body, accountable to the people of the region.
Currently elected local body representatives have the lion’s
share of the seats at the Forum table. The fact that Auckland Council, with its
representation of seven members, is listed as a problem is revealing as to the
proposal’s intention. This is despite these seven members representing by far
the largest group of citizens - over 1.6 million.
This push for co-governance coincides with a proposal in the
draft Auckland Council Draft Regional Parks Management Plan to
investigate including 21 of Auckland’s 28 regional parks in the Hauraki Gulf
Marine Park.
If both proposals go ahead, it is logical to conclude that
this new authority would likely co-govern 21 of Auckland’s regional parks. This
would reflect the Regional Parks Management Plan’s proposed framework for
partnerships with mana whenua.
Established 22 years ago, the Hauraki Gulf Forum is a
consultative and advocacy body established under the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park
Act to advocate for the protection of the Gulf. The 21-member Forum includes
three ministerial representatives, six tangata whenua members, and 12
councillors from the five councils that border the Gulf.
Generations of Kiwis have grown up on the shores and waters
of the Auckland’s ‘jewel in the crown. But only a handful of the 2.2 million
people who live in and around the Hauraki Gulf know of these proposals. The
citizens are not being asked if they agree to these changes - no public input
has been sought prior to the introduction of this proposal for what is a
radical constitutional change over the governance of the Gulf.
The Gulf Users Group has been established by a group of
concerned citizens to alert the public to this plan, and to give a voice to
those who work and play in the Gulf. This Group is asking anyone who believes
that decisions with respect to the Gulf should be fair, transparent, and
democratic to contact the members of the Forum to vote NO to these proposals at
their upcoming meeting on 28 February.
The Gulf Users Group has a letter writing function on their
website gulfusers.org.nz that allows
anyone to create and send a message direct to Councillors. There is also an
option to sign a petition demanding the Hauraki Gulf Forum members vote down
proposals to remove the elected member majority and introduce co-governance.
Derek Stubbs is a keen boatie who has been sailing the
Hauraki Gulf for over 50 years. He is also the Chair of the Gulf Users Group.
4 comments:
This is worth supporting. Political apathy is endemic in New Zealand in our current 'cultural' version of nonsense. Cinderella and the knuckleheads in the beehive are so dependent upon the 'First People' Caucus they're running with powers of veto or the Devil.
This simply needs a binding referenda. The combined knowledge of the total public far out way the limited knowledge of just a few councilors and a few armature enthusiasts. This is way too important for Auckland's future for the public to be ignored on what they want for the best interests for the gulf.
Another damned power grab by a. Insatiable beast
It is absolutely imperative that no situation is created which could lead to anything akin the Auckland Maunga disaster. Maori have control and have acted in apparent defiance of the majority "other" users. At a public hui it was blatantly implied that sticking it to colonist descendants was part of the policy. Maori do not need co governance or 50% partnership to ensure total control. Just significant consultation suffices because noone of any substance now dares publicly question maori, thereby earning the racist accusation and associated devastating cancellation.
(For those not in the know the Authority is half maori and half Councillors, but most of the latter are converts, or meek. Vehicles have been banned from the Auckland summits, anti tank gates installed, and all exotic trees, many grandly majestic, stripped from the sites at vast expense to ratepayers).
Post a Comment
Thanks for engaging in the debate!
Because this is a public forum, we will only publish comments that are respectful and do NOT contain links to other sites. We appreciate your cooperation.