I think this is becoming the most of obvious example of why co-governance doesn’t work.
Quick recap: back in 2014 Chris Finlayson reached a treaty settlement with Tuhoe, and part of that allowed the iwi to govern Te Urewera National Park with DOC.
Kiwis were promised they’d still have guaranteed public access.
That’s not happening: Tuhoe closed the park all of last summer, they refused to let DOC maintain the huts and swing bridges and boardwalks, they object to 1080 drops so the pests have got out of control.
And now they’re burning down the back country DOC huts.
Here’s why co-governance doesn’t work: Because Tuhoe is doing this despite a huge amount of opposition.
Hunters don’t like it, conservationists don’t like it, trampers don’t like it, and even Tuhoe’s people don’t like it.
There were huge protests yesterday. Hundreds of people both Maori and Pakeha protested in Taneatua, waving placards saying “hands off our huts” and “stop state-funded desecration”.
There’s an 8000 strong petition calling for the removals to stop.
But what can we do about? What can the conservationists and the hunters and the trampers and even the people of Tuhoe do about it?
Nothing.
Because there is no accountability.
The iwi's governing body calls the shots. Even if it breaks the terms of the deal, even if its own people don’t like it. They call the shots, they’re not answerable to you and I.
That is the opposite of how our democracy works.
Normally if you don’t like something you can complain to a higher authority or vote them out, but you can't do that with Tuhoe.
And that in a nutshell is the problem with co-governance.
And if you’re not yet convinced, Watch the Tuhoe case unfold.
Heather du Plessis-Allan is a journalist and commentator who hosts Newstalk ZB's Drive show.
9 comments:
It is worth remembering here Tony Benn's five democratic questions: What power have you got? Where did you get it from? In whose interests do you exercise it? To whom are you accountable? And how can we get rid of you?’ If you cannot get rid of the people who govern you, you do not live in a democratic system.
Sometimes the great organised maori activist network seems to break down. The spiteful attitudes roused by endless rhetoric gets the better of iwi and they jump the gun. As they are doing with the Council wards, maori should hold back on sticking it to the colonists until total control is more complete. The premature Tupuna Maunga Authority and Tuhoe actions will likely awake many dreaming idealists. Co governorship, co management, excessive binding consultation are all a great threat to (tax/ratepayer funded) operating efficiency and to satisfaction for the majority. The Auckland Regional Parks Management Plan is laced with all of the maori involvement features. Already to the great distress of the tramping clubs, scouts, youth groups, oldies exercise groups, and many other adventurous citizens, trampers are kicked out of the ratepayer funded Waitakeres, in very large part due maori domination.
This was all totally predictable. For those of us who've used and loved our back country all our lives it's a travesty on many levels. National lost my vote over this, with their sanctimonious nonsense about special Maori "rights" etc. I hope Finlayson & Key are hanging their heads in shame. Millions in taxpayer funds to a bunch of incredibly arrogant goons with no accountability, no public access and an ostensible "National Park" that will rapidly fall to pestilence & erosion. It should be clear to us all that our politicians have no idea what they're dealing with here - amoral unethical thugs who embody Helen Clarke's moniker of 'haters and wreckers'. 3 waters, Co Governance etc will simply be more of the same. Let's stop them!
Absolutely right Heather. This entire " Māori " issue is the main driver behind what is certain to be the total collapse of not only our democracy but our very way of life.
Points well made Heather.
The once famous Lake Waikaremoana walk had a number of top quality, modern accommodation sites
These were built with taxpayers money. They are now unliveable due to looting and vandalism.
So much for millions of taxpayers money being given to the tribe to look after in"co-governance" with DOC
taxpayers money.
They are now in ruins due to looting and vandalism.
Why are they burning them down? Most likely to erase the evidence of looting and vandalism by members of the very tribe given money for 'co-governance' that has already turned into tribal rule.
Do any of the enlightened contributors to this page see a truly dystopian future in which anarchy and violent protest will fill the void created by the brutal removal of adult suffrage and the destruction of New Zealand's established system of democracy?
Should three belligerent elitists (four including PM Ardern) really be allowed to destroy a country and why are their antics and rhetoric in themselves not "inciting racial disharmony" as defined in the Human Rights Act 1993?
FUNNY USUALLY DOC JUST GOES AHEAD & DOES WHAT THEY WANT ANYWAY REGARDLESS OF THE IWI VOICES
SO WHAT MAKES MAINTAINING THE HUTS ANY DIFFERENT
O RIGHT OF COURSE
THAT’S GOING2 COST DOC ALOT OF MONEY2 MAINTAIN THESE HUTS SAME AS THE HOUSES AT KAITAWA
OLE DOC AYE
SLITHERY SNAKES JIST SLITHERING BACK ACTING ALL NAIVE & WATCHING IT ALL UNRAVEL
FUNNY ALRIGHT DOC
ERRR
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