Legislation to entrench Ngai Tahu representatives on Environment Canterbury – these would be guaranteed appointments, to spare them the bother of pitching for popular support – failed to pass its first reading in Parliament in 2019.
On that occasion, New Zealand First’s Shane Jones featured in scuttling a bill which would have entitled Ngai Tahu to appoint two representatives to sit with elected councillors after the local elections later that year.
It seemed that was the end of a bad Bill – but hey: a few weeks ago the regional council announced it was again promoting a Bill that will provide “for mana whenua representation around the Council table”, by empowering Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu to appoint up to two members of the Council. This will be in addition to the elected members.
