Leaked email: ACT holding Govt to ransom over Maori seats

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Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:00a.m.

Rodney Hide

Rodney Hide

By Scott Campbell

Any prospect of Maori seats on Auckland's new super council looks doomed, and it is all because of ACT leader Rodney Hide. 3 News has obtained an email which in effect, claims Mr Hide is holding the National-led government to ransom.

If it includes Maori seats in the super city, Mr Hide will pull his support.

Around 7,000 protesters marched through Auckland's CBD back in May, all angry that recommendations for guaranteed Maori seats on the council were dumped.

Since then the Maori Party and the Government have been trying to work out a compromise, but that too has prompted protest - this time from coalition partner ACT.

3 News understands Mr Hide has threatened to resign as Minister of Local Government if National gives in to Maori.

"No doubt it will be hard for me as minister to introduce Maori seats," he says. "That's part of the discussion we are having."

Mr Hide says he has sent a clear message to Prime Minister John Key he won't support a compromise on the mana whenua seats.

But in an email sent to National's 58 MPs by one of its own senior members, it is claimed that message to Mr Key was in fact a threat.

It says: "Clearly we are at a crossroads. The ACT Party has threatened to end its relationship with National if we allow Maori seats on the super city. Despite multiple arguments in support, its mind cannot be changed."

But Mr Hide says the email is wrong. His party's position is strong.

"We've certainly never threatened to end the relationship," he says. "What we have done is state our position very clearly - we would be opposed to any reservation of seats for a particular group."

A special select committee is due to report back to Parliament in a fortnight. It will include recommendations for what part Maori will play in the super city.

Over 130,000 Maori live in Auckland, and the email says having Mr Hide's tantrum decide the fate of the Maori seats is not good enough, and that: "Consequently, I believe the issue is too far-reaching and too important for a party presently sitting at 1 percent in the polls to decide alone."

But 3 News understands it is an all-but-done deal - there will be no guaranteed Maori seats.

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Comments

21 Aug 2009 07:50p.m.

Mary McKenzie wrote:

There seems to be quite a strong correlation in the above comments between sexi-illiteracy and reactionary views.

20 Aug 2009 07:25a.m.

Glenn wrote:

Your not wrong Darren, they are the one's creating seperatism in this country. Racism is becoming more rife in this country with their attitudes lately. They could go in the running for seats just like everyone else. Why must we continue with this special treatment??

19 Aug 2009 11:34p.m.

darren wrote:

The maori do not deserve those seats. It is in its purest form discrimination. If maori do get those seats then mori ori, asian, new zealand european and pacific islanders deserve an equal amount. This I believe will lead to a racist newzealand.. what ever happened to equality ?

19 Aug 2009 10:35p.m.

David wrote:

He should resign from the local government position - and take up the environment portfolio instead.

19 Aug 2009 10:28p.m.

Alien wrote:

So Hide says no such threat was made. The PM's office says the relationship is still strong. I would guess that there will be something for Maori in the next release. Have tv3 yet again gone to air with false facts trying to create a story?

19 Aug 2009 10:25p.m.

Um really? wrote:

No match for Rodney? He's polling lower then Winston Peters!

19 Aug 2009 10:23p.m.

Dave wrote:

Apartfrom the where whys & wherefors of the E mail, why do Maori have to have garanteed seats on the council? can they not get voted in like every body else, or is that too difficult for them?

19 Aug 2009 09:35p.m.

Sarah wrote:

Somehow this seems remarkably fishy... Sources aren't mentioned, and the letter itself isn't even available for viewing. Huh. And New Zealand is such a racist country! Maori have no rights to be automatically on the Supercity council, and it's hardly like they can't still earn them. We need to start seeing equality as something which involves everyone being treated EQUALLY, not maori getting special benefits.

19 Aug 2009 08:47p.m.

Maddie wrote:

Hide will threaten, but will Key and National fold? The fact is many of the assets administered by Councils in Auckland are built on land either bequeathed by Maori or taken under Legislation for public rights and if no longer owned by Local Bodies, resort back to Maori Iwi. Key needs to show who is in charge - as things currently stand we can all see the ACT tail is totally wagging National. If Supercity is halted in anyway, Hide and ACT will spit the dummy because they failed to gain their access $68B of assets from Auckland ratepayers. They are on a die-for mission; let them die.

19 Aug 2009 08:38p.m.

Andrew wrote:

Good for you Mr Hide. Maori have more than enough input into high level local government decision making as it is without the need for guaranteed political representation.