Fiona Mackenzie: Co-Governance Bites in NZ’s Largest City

If you think the previous National Government’s Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) is already wielding too much power in a compliant Auckland City Council, brace yourself for further attack on our democracy by its tribal representatives.

One third of New Zealand’s population are having their rights further eroded by the radical interpretation of a permittable (but not mandatory) ‘Deed of Acknowledgement’ in the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008. These innocuous words are being used to facilitate 50/50 co-governance over a significant portion of Auckland’s landmass - with more to come.