The Treaty’s role in governance arrangements? Restoration of referendums on Māori wards will be heartening for democrats
There’s good news today for proponents of democracy, or democratic government. That excludes every MP who voted for the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill, which enables the tribe’s rūnanga to appoint two councillors with full voting rights to the council.
“Appoint” is the key word. Every other councillor must campaign to win the support of citizens through elections and be held accountable to voters at subsequent elections.
Champions of the bill warbled about strengthening the Treaty Partnership and so on and enthused about Ngāi Tahu being guaranteed representation and decision-making powers on the council.
In effect, without reference to the wider community, the MPs who voted in favour of the legislation were presuming to resolve a constitutional dilemma: should New Zealand weaken – if not abandon – it’s democracy and give primacy in governance arrangements to a highly contentious set of Treaty principles?
According to those principles, all citizens would be equal, but some (depending on ethnicity and heritage) would be more equal than others.
The same enthusiasts for Treaty-based constitutional arrangements voted for the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill.
The Minister of Local Government Hon Nanaia Mahuta described this as a significant step forward for Māori representation in local government.
“We know how important it is to have diversity around the council table and this forms a part of the Government’s commitment to working to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” she said.
But it didn’t promote greater diversity. It promoted a political privilege for one ethnic group by providing local bodies with electoral mechanisms for increasing Māori representation.
“What we have done in the House today will enable democratically elected local councils to ensure that their Māori communities can have a voice around the council table,” Nanaia Mahuta said.
Māori communities, it should be noted – but not Pacific communities, Asian communities, or any other ethnic community. Some diversity is good – but let’s not overdo it.
The new law removed all mechanisms for binding polls to be held on whether Māori wards or Māori constituencies would be established.
That’s the background to the good news today, that the coalition government will introduce a Bill in the coming months to 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.
This announcement from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown was one of several to flow from the Beehive in the past 24 hours.
Brown’s ministerial colleagues announced that …
In effect, without reference to the wider community, the MPs who voted in favour of the legislation were presuming to resolve a constitutional dilemma: should New Zealand weaken – if not abandon – it’s democracy and give primacy in governance arrangements to a highly contentious set of Treaty principles?
According to those principles, all citizens would be equal, but some (depending on ethnicity and heritage) would be more equal than others.
The same enthusiasts for Treaty-based constitutional arrangements voted for the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill.
The Minister of Local Government Hon Nanaia Mahuta described this as a significant step forward for Māori representation in local government.
“We know how important it is to have diversity around the council table and this forms a part of the Government’s commitment to working to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” she said.
But it didn’t promote greater diversity. It promoted a political privilege for one ethnic group by providing local bodies with electoral mechanisms for increasing Māori representation.
“What we have done in the House today will enable democratically elected local councils to ensure that their Māori communities can have a voice around the council table,” Nanaia Mahuta said.
Māori communities, it should be noted – but not Pacific communities, Asian communities, or any other ethnic community. Some diversity is good – but let’s not overdo it.
The new law removed all mechanisms for binding polls to be held on whether Māori wards or Māori constituencies would be established.
That’s the background to the good news today, that the coalition government will introduce a Bill in the coming months to 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.
This announcement from Local Government Minister Simeon Brown was one of several to flow from the Beehive in the past 24 hours.
Brown’s ministerial colleagues announced that …
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has kicked off construction on $250 million upgrades to State Highway 6/6A (SH6/6A) in Queenstown that will boost economic growth, reduce congestion, and create a safer and more reliable transport network.
Associate Finance Ministers David Seymour and Chris Bishop say overseas investment in Build To Rent housing will be welcomed in New Zealand under a new directive letter they have issued to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), the regulator for the Overseas Investment Act.
Build To Rent (BTR) is a type of medium to high-density residential development, specifically built for long-term rental housing.
The directive follows the announcement on 7 March that the Government will amend the Overseas Investment Act to provide a streamlined pathway for overseas investment in Build To Rent assets.
The ERO report into the New Zealand Histories curriculum found that because schools had been prioritising New Zealand Histories, other subjects like geography and economics had been crowded out.
Education Minister Eric Stanford said a key finding was that most schools were teaching some of the new curriculum, but many were struggling with being expected to design localised curriculum and linking New Zealand histories to the global context.
She said:
“We need to move away from a postcode lottery where what you learn at school depends on where you live and who your teachers are.”
And:
“I will be reducing the expectation for schools to write curriculum documents themselves and ensuring teachers have more time to focus on what they do best – planning creative and exciting lessons to engage the learners in their classrooms.”
Stanford has already appointed a Ministerial Advisory Group to review the curriculum for English and Maths and provide advice on a national curriculum in these areas.
The Government is making three changes to the Building Act to increase the availability of high-quality affordable building products and help lower the cost of building in New Zealand.
These changes are:
- Recognising building product standards from trusted overseas jurisdictions removing the need for designers or builders to verify standards, which is time-consuming and costly.
- Requiring Building Consent Authorities to accept the use of products that comply with specific overseas standards that are equivalent to or higher than those in New Zealand.
- Approving the use of building products certified through reputable certification schemes overseas. For example, the approval of one Australian scheme, WaterMark, could immediately provide Kiwis with access to 200,000 products.
The release of a draft plan to ease restrictions on building materials from overseas for public consultation is one of the commitments in the Government’s latest Action Plan.
These changes also give effect to some of the recommendations made by the Commerce Commission in their market study into residential building supplies. The Commission recommended creating more clear compliance pathways for a broader range of key building supplies and exploring ways to remove impediments to product substitution and variations.
Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins announced 12 New Zealand research teams will conduct joint six-month feasibility studies looking at Earth observation research with NASA.
The research teams will conduct feasibility studies in environmental monitoring, water and climate modelling, natural hazards, and biodiversity.
Collins said:
“This is important work both for now and for the future of how we grow food, sustainably monitor our agriculture, anticipate floods and droughts, and measure environmental impacts.
“Collaborating with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) means the teams will have access to state-of-the art technology and expertise to develop their research and build partnerships with a world leader in space research.”
The research teams will conduct a range of studies, including dynamic forest mapping, CO2 flux estimations for small countries, and tracking pasture quality with satellite imagery, among others.
Research teams will receive up to NZ$75,000 for the six-month Earth observation feasibility studies from the Government’s Catalyst Fund.
RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones announced applications are open for projects to be included in the Government’s legislation establishing a one-stop shop fast-track approvals regime.
The Fast Track Approvals Bill was referred to the Environment Committee on 7 March but does not contain any projects in either Schedule 2A or 2B of the Bill.
Projects listed in Schedule 2A will be automatically referred into the fast-track process laid out in the Bill, and the listing of a project in Schedule 2B of the Bill will mean it is required to be taken into account by Ministers if and when a project comes before them for referral into fast-track.
A Fast Track Advisory Group is being established.
Project applications – by either public or the private sectors – can be made to the Ministry of Environment until 3 May. The Fast Track Advisory Group will then look carefully at the projects and provide independent recommendations to the Ministers of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Transport.
Ministers will consider the recommendations and decide which projects to include in the Bill.
Further information on this process including how to nominate a project for listing, can be found on the Ministry for the Environment website.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has announced the Charter School | Kura Hourua Establishment Board to guide the formation of the charter school model, so that the first schools can open in 2025.
The board will provide strategic oversight and advice on the implementation of the Charter School | Kura Hourua model. It will work with the Ministry of Education on key decisions relating to the initial establishment of the charter school model and ongoing functions and management of the model.
Justine Mahon, who will chair the Establishment Board, has considerable experience as a teacher and principal at all levels of the education system, says Mr Seymour.
Seven other members have been named.
Latest from the Beehive
4 APRIL 2024
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has kicked off construction on $250 million upgrades to State Highway 6/6A (SH6/6A) in Queenstown that will boost economic growth, reduce congestion, and create a safer and more reliable transport network.
Associate Finance Ministers David Seymour and Chris Bishop say overseas investment in Build To Rent housing will be welcomed in New Zealand under a new directive letter they have issued to Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), the regulator for the Overseas Investment Act.
The Coalition Government will restore the rights of communities to determine whether to introduce Māori wards, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says.
A report by the Education Review Office (ERO) on Aotearoa New Zealand Histories confirms that teachers need better clarity on curriculum and how to deliver it, Minister of Education Erica Stanford says.
The coalition Government is eliminating barriers to the use of overseas building products to make it easier and more affordable to build in New Zealand, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says.
3 APRIL 2024
Twelve New Zealand research teams will conduct joint six-month feasibility studies looking at Earth observation research with NASA, Science, Innovation and Technology and Space Minister Judith Collins announced today.
Applications are now open for projects to be included in the Government’s legislation establishing a one-stop shop fast-track approvals regime.
Associate Education Minister David Seymour has announced the Charter School | Kura Hourua Establishment Board to guide the formation of the charter school model, so that the first schools can open in 2025.
In his local government statement, Simeon Brown said 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.”
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.
Brown said:
“As signalled in our coalition agreements, affected councils will be required to hold a poll alongside the 2025 elections. The results of these polls will be binding on councils and will take effect for the local government term beginning October 2028.
“If councils do not wish to hold a poll, those councils will be given the opportunity to reverse their decision to establish Māori wards or to disestablish those wards prior to the 2025 local body elections.”
The Coalition Government announced its intentions today to give councils greater certainty as they prepare for local body elections in 2025.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
1 comment:
What treaty partnership? Just the same bullshit as treaty principles. Why won't the NZ public speak against the racist propaganda showered down on us by the corrupted mainstream media? Kiwialan.
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