The Coalition Government will restore the rights of communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.
“The Government will introduce a Bill in the coming months that will restore the ability for communities to petition their councils to hold binding polls on Māori ward decisions. This will include holding binding polls on wards that were established without the ability for local referendums to take place.
“The Coalition Government will reverse the previous government’s divisive changes that denied local communities the ability to determine whether to establish Māori wards. Local community members deserve to have a say in their governance arrangements.”
Restoring the right to local referendums on the establishment and ongoing use of Māori wards is a commitment under both the ACT and NZ First coalition agreements with National.
“The Coalition Government’s view is that any decision to establish or disestablish a Māori ward is one that should remain with communities. This does not affect councils’ responsibilities to consult with mana whenua on issues that affect them.” . . .
The establishment of Māori wards on councils was based on the erroneous, and patronising, view that there is a single Māori world view, that that view is the left’s, and that all Māori share the same opinion on all issues.
There is not and they do not.
Too many on the left seem to think all Māori think as they do which, fortunately they don’t, and that is why they prefer council dictatorship rather than democratic decision-making on this issue.
Local Government NZ shows a similar disdain for democracy:
“The Coalition Government is removing decision-making from councils by mandating polls be run on Māori wards and constituencies alone,” Sam Broughton said.
“This is a complete overreach by the government on local decision-making. . .
Local decision making starts with ratepayers and residents who vote for councils. Denying them a vote on Māori wards is denying them a democratic say.
The Coalition government is taking the decision out of the hands of politicians and giving it back to the people where it belongs.
Ele Ludemann is a North Otago farmer and journalist, who blogs HERE - where this article was sourced.
1 comment:
Bollocks to Sam Broughton. The only overreach was by Councils creating these Wards when in most instances they knew full well the majority, that they purportedly represented, did not want them. People like you, Sam Broughton, patently want to promote racism and division. Selwyn District is welcome to you, albeit an equally deluded Mayor currently presides over my local Council. Hopefully, the upcoming referenda; their outcomes; and the quite avoidable costs will see many of those who pushed these Wards through without appropriate consultation looking for new jobs next election.
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