New Zealand First will campaign on scrapping the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB), which they say has significant influence over Auckland Council’s decision making.
In a statement, the party said a member’s bill had been written and introduced, which would see the unelected body that has “exercised significant influence” over council decision making since the creation of the Auckland Supercity in 2010.
It is worth remembering that the IMSB was a compromise, when the Auckland Council was formed. Some were pushing for two Maori Ward Councillors, and the IMSB was the alternative – representation on some Council committees, but not on the main Council.
The existence of the IMSB has made it easier to say no to having Maori Wards. Basically you can have one, or the other, but not both.
If the IMSB is abolished, then I would expect that there will be a move for the creation of full voting Maori Ward Councillors. Now under the current law this would need to go to referendum, but around half the recent referendums did pass, so it could happen in Auckland.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
The existence of the IMSB has made it easier to say no to having Maori Wards. Basically you can have one, or the other, but not both.
If the IMSB is abolished, then I would expect that there will be a move for the creation of full voting Maori Ward Councillors. Now under the current law this would need to go to referendum, but around half the recent referendums did pass, so it could happen in Auckland.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders
2 comments:
Why should the IMSB have any greater say and influence on the Council, and the people of Auckland than any other citizens or group ?
Why should the date of their arrival in NZ be any factor in the democratic running of Auckland ?
Will the ordinary National Party members please tell your leaders that this is not democracy and put a stop to it - as promised by Luxon, and who then reneged.
Mayor Brown has expressed contentment with the IMSB. He is a realist engineer. Slagging off the IMSB would generate yards of typical exaggerated maori rhetoric from the multiple state subsidised Insurgency Coordinaton Centres (marae) which have contrived to be defined as mana whenua.And all the associated maori studies students will join in the opportunity to apply the protest invective their teachers h have so diligently instilled in them.. The maori content and influece in many Council publications , presumably part due the IMSB, is ridiculous. A study of Climate change effect on Auckland was hugely devoted to maori, yet in many ways they will be the least inconvenienced.
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