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Maori seats on councils bill defeated in Parliament

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Maori seats on councils bill defeated in Parliament

3News NZ

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell drafted the member's bill

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell drafted the member's bill

A bill that would have forced local and regional councils to have Maori seats was defeated in Parliament.

Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell drafted the member's bill, which would have set up Maori wards and constituencies with the number of seats in proportion to the Maori population in council areas.

Mr Flavell said Maori were marginalised in local government with less than 5 percent representation.

"We just don't get a Maori view at the decision-making tables, despite the Treaty of Waitangi and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples," he said.

National opposed the bill last night.

MP Chester Borrows said his party had no problem with councils setting up Maori seats if they wanted them, but it did not believe they should be forced to do it through legislation.

Labour supported the bill and said it should go to a select committee for public submissions.

The bill was defeated 64-57 on its first reading.

Before the debate was held, Attorney-General Chris Finlayson presented a report which said the bill appeared to breach the Bill of Rights Act because it drew a distinction on the basis of race and the formula for calculating the number of Maori seats would lead to a disparity in representation.

NZPA

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Comments

26/06/2010 1:38:46 a.m.

Jan.. wrote:

How long have you been with the news and what take you so long to save your tripe Adrian?..
Which hole did you climb out from?..Anyway I guess that you know a bit of your history..allgood..

24/06/2010 4:54:20 a.m.

Adrian wrote:

@Jan.. freedom of speech is a prerequisite to participate, though of course you already know that because you are a learned person. Secondly, I know more than most. Thirdly I don’t understand your rational considering you don’t know my lineage. Rewind … on my mother’s side I was here pre 12 century migrations. Since then through inter-marriage I descend from several double haul canoes post migration. I don’t classify myself as Maaori, an inaccurate generalization scribed by captain cook to identify the many ethnic societies here in Aotearoa. Instead my nationality aligns with the various clans I descend from. Very powerful! Pacific wide, Madagascar and other global places recite stories of early voyages (classified today as Maaori) to have landed there and interacted with the indigenous people at the time. Many unions were formed, hence the global connection that exist today. I know many stories and able to articulate them in Maaori being my dominate language. Your posts on the other hand help divert the argument from the substance and I agree we don’t have anything in common. Your stories remain your stories … good for you. Sorts of stories I wouldn’t want to pass on unless well founded. In terms of demanding I answer your questions, first of all it’s my prerogative not to and a learned person like you claim yourself to be would have arrived at the answers in my previous posts through a process of deduction. Your many spelling errors and way ward arguments suggest you to be otherwise. May your day be full of happiness, fulfillment and substance.

22/06/2010 6:53:00 p.m.

Jan.. wrote:

Adrian, what is an outlet like you know, look at the mess of crimes in my country since you arrived with your bad attitude thinking that you know it all..
You can't even answer most of my questions, hang on to your own beleif I don't need it as I have my own stories to share with the world, we don't have anthying in common so bye and don't I want to hear from you again, so egg off..

20/06/2010 5:01:19 a.m.

Adrian wrote:

Racism is the scourge of society and common place for few nz’ers. If not confronted head on, it leads to civil unrest and at the extreme end, civil war and atrocities, something I am sure no citizen of our country wants to experience nor do I advocate. So stop it! Passionate minority ethnic groups wanting to exercise autonomy typically are the targets in a dominated post colonial society to which are proud to fly the flag of colonial rule. On the international stage colonization is despised of by many learned scholars. If the United Nation was established pre british empire invasion, I guarantee discontent would be less volatile. Redress is upon us i.e. successful treaty claims, the Queens apology for the injustices committed during that turbulent era qualifies that fault has been accepted. So, why the need for continual Maaori bashing? And taunting racial slurs? Grow up, accept fault and be responsible, embrace your treaty partner unconditionally, then we will be able to move forward together. Failing that, status quo currently refuses to recognize Maaori as a formidable, amicable treaty partner, so why accept the status quo? Peaceful transition toward secession is a justifiable option. Belgium, Iceland, Montenegro, Norway, Slovakia prove this to be. Aotearoa too can be added to the list. The more racism is un/consciously flaunted the more viable the option becomes. Nz is under the microscope of the UN as we speak. Special Rapporteurs are monitoring the ethnic stability at present having also collated irrefutable evidence during and post colonial era. UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is the beginning of what appears to be a bright future for Maaori. Release the shackles of colonial rule please your highness. The deafening echo of racial etiquette post official 1995 apology destabilizes the good intent Maaori brought to the treaty grounds some 170 years ago. Please discipline the few that encourage race relations to remain volatile. Sincerely,

19/06/2010 1:46:00 p.m.

Adrian wrote:

Jan the post quote 'I don’t want your sympathy just want what rightfully belongs to Maaori returned. Freedom? Now you’re a comedian! Fool!' was meant for Redn**k ian. Yes, overseas as we speak many times over visiting institutions destined for scholars in the political science fields. Apologies for the typo error. Did anticipate a reaction like that. Apologies

19/06/2010 7:30:26 a.m.

Jan.. wrote:

Adrian you are a comedian fool yourself, you are an idiot without knowledge, what do you know really? sitting on your arse and demand others are fools, show yourself, who are you? have you been overseas? how musch tax to you pay?
How much have you done to constribute to this country?
Tell me who are you Adrian? what is your profeshional?
Only hope that you are not one of those dickhead mouthiey with no actions, I suggest you go wash your mouth with soap..You have no idea do you Adrian?.. go such an egg matey..

19/06/2010 7:02:59 a.m.

Jan.. wrote:

Guys what are we here for ?
I am here because I cannot leave the news or any news of the world cannot escape my mind, news has been haunted me since younghood, as a young teen I read more books and always have an ear open when the old folks start their prayers, I learned nothing from the schoolyrd, I travel the world on my adulthood and futher my study and the understanding of all human species that is where I found that the world are full of bloodsheds to greed and jealousy..Thought the world war was over, but the other side of the world are still human bloodsheded that must come to an end..

18/06/2010 4:49:55 p.m.

Jim wrote:

maa
Are you losing the plot? Did all the info I gave about the planet not fit with your "gimme" "handout" agenda!!!

18/06/2010 4:43:44 p.m.

Jim wrote:

maa. Obviously you are the one who needs some educating. We were called Hori's and I don't care that it is not a true word; it was used to downgrade us Maori in the day. Also, I note that you cannot come up with any answers to my post on indigenous (also not a Maori word) so resort to the usual name calling aka Hone. Hey thanks for your sanctimonious rant!!!

18/06/2010 3:29:22 p.m.

maa wrote:

It's not hard to pick out the bigots in these posts, all you non-Maori and wanna bees jump to judge Maori but when Maori speak out against your bigotry its friggen criminal or something to the like! pakeha don't like to be judged or bashed either. Nobody does. The fact is you pakeha don't get it. Jim there's no such word as hori's get your Ngata Dictionary out and get yourself enrolled at Kohanga quick smart! Ignorance is a downfall when you're trying to make out you are intelligent. Do people with only one brain cell count? Seems not enough intellect to get a qualified point across with a low cell count like (1) lol lol lol.