Opinion: Iwi 'consultation' is a sham and insults Maori

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 6:24p.m.

Duncan says iwi leaders didn't come down in the last shower and the Government needs to stop treating them like they did

Opinion by Political Editor Duncan Garner

The Government's six hui with iwi over the asset sales and 'shares plus' idea is nothing more than a waste of time.

That's how Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia describes the process. It's hard to disagree with her. It's hard to find a better description really.

It's as simple as this: the Waitangi Tribunal demanded the Government slow down its asset sales programme and consult.

It's doing that. It's delayed the sales. It's now consulting. But the consultation is a sham. Let's all be honest about that.

The Government is consulting on the narrow idea put forward by the Tribunal of 'shares plus' - where Maori might get more rights than other shareholders in the partially sold companies.

Prime Minister John Key says it's unacceptable. So let's talk about it. Seriously, these iwi leaders didn't come down in the last shower.

Why bother at all?

Well, there is a method to this insulting madness.

The Government is merely ticking the consultation box required by law.

It will also be required by the courts next year - if the Government finds itself facing an injunction before it sells Mighty River Power in March.

Showing it has 'consulted' will be a legal requirement.

That's why it's 'consulting'.

It's not genuine and the Government isn't interested in hearing what iwi have to say - not in the slightest.

It wants to do deals with iwi - iwi by iwi. River by river. Bit by bit.

And it wants to sell the assets in the meantime.

Key's Government believes it got a mandate at the last election - and it did.

They got elected.

That's a mandate.

Asset sales have strangely become crucial to the Government's programme.

If it fails to sell them - what does it stand for?

It's struggling to get into surplus like promised, and it's struggling to rebuild Christchurch in a hurry.

But it's seriously in trouble on asset sales.

And there are more hurdles to come - a possible court case and a referendum.

But let's drop the pretence in the meantime that the Government is truly consulting.

It's a sham. It's disingenuous. It's based on a lie.

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide

Name

(Won't be published)

Your comment

Comments

15/10/2012 8:55:29 p.m.

qj wrote:

as a child growing up the first thing i was taught as a maori from my parents was my identity which is passed down from generation to generation and goes like this.ko qj toku ingoa(my name),ko te whanau-a-kai toku iwi(my tribe),ko maungahaumi toku maunga(my mountain),ko waipaoa toku awa(my river) and so on.as far as im concerned these belong to me and that is what iv'e been taught from my parents and iv'e passed on to my kids.ownership has been there all the time.i think that all non maori nzders would find thier identity overseas somewhere.

8/10/2012 1:54:00 p.m.

Adrian wrote:

The government exercise's authority over land and resources that was stolen from Maaori. Not just a small piece of land in fact 95% (approximately) of Aotearoa. NZers of today legitimizes the criminal acts committed by supporting the Governments rhetoric and discourse designed to hide the disgraceful injustices. Thankfully, influential external lobbyist movements linked to the UN are aware of this corruption. The fact that the Crown prescribes it's own punishment when settling treaty grievances is unjust in itself exposing a two law system. Time will tell what will come of this indecency and appears pertinent that some form of convergence on this matter will come to a head. NZers need to be worried, you're not the innocent party in this picture. Just know this fact, there are two nations, the NZ nation and the Maaori nation and one is corrupt administering stolen property. It's not NZ's right to dictate to it's hegemonically positioned treaty partner how we are to manage their knowingly stolen resources and rightfully so. In a just world colonial rule driven settler NZers will receive harsher punishments than recent immigrants, ranging from incarceration relinquishing voting rights as what it is today to community work. The moral of the story is this, do your best to be a decent NZer by employing moral critiqueness to your daily lives. Nice piece Moera.

7/10/2012 12:05:58 p.m.

Moera wrote:

@ GEOFF J.Key and his govt have never taken Maaori seriously and never will. It will take legal action from the Supreme Court to settle these issues. A road that really is unnecessary and due to Key's lack of 'fair play' will force NZers to pay for a rather expensive court case. What would be interesting, is if Key stays in govt after the next election. At any rate, these negotiations aren't about solving the issues Maaori have, more than to inflame NZers attitudes toward Maaori into a maaori-hating frenzy. J.Key should be ashamed of his 'below the belt' tactics and stop playing games with NZers as a whole and not just Maaori.

28/09/2012 9:47:58 a.m.

geoff wrote:

Maori I think have lost confidence in JK by the recent decisions hes made and not listening to their concerns. The comments JK made so blatantly about the Government ignoring the tribunals recommendations revealed to the New Zealand public that Maori won't be taken seriously and National will do as they please. This follwed by revelations that the Maori council were shut out of consultation, only 5 weeks of consulting on a recomnendation and a process that's claimed a sham; people especially Maori are starting to question JKs leadership as PM.

27/09/2012 7:25:03 p.m.

Gosh wrote:

Ngai Tahu Holdings, which manages the South Island iwi's commercial operations, boosted earnings across all of its units and is looking to ramp up its exposure in dairy.
Net profit climbed to $95.7 million in the 12 months ended June 30, from $15.9m a year earlier, the iwi said in its annual report.
Operating earnings, which strip out gains from asset sales and property values, climbed 48 per cent to $55.1m on sales of $209.36m.

This is the best news ever
Now, no Tahu child will ever go hungry or lack education again, thank god.

25/09/2012 8:25:52 p.m.

Adrian wrote:

@Grant, rather hegemonic of you. Just to let you know apartheid policies are ill thought of internationally and nationally for that matter. Equality is the aim, one treaty partner to the other treaty partner, nation to nation. What one nation has authority over so should the other. Oh before that though lets resolve our wrong doings like illegally confiscating all of Aotearoa and returning all of Aotearoa to their rightful owners. It's just the right thing to do right?

25/09/2012 7:00:42 p.m.

pete wrote:

@grant. I have to say i agree with everything you said and to also state that the waitangi tribunal is constant reminder of why maori will always be stuck in grievance mode. Whenever something happens maori don't agree with they go running to the tribunal and at the expense of the taxpayer. The earlier they shut that place down the better.

25/09/2012 3:43:33 p.m.

Grant wrote:

I think JK should call an early election about who owns water, air, wind and whatever else and put the treaty into a museum as the gravy train has reached the station. National will win by a landslide as they should also include in the election to disband the one sided and biased Waitangi Tribunal.

25/09/2012 2:58:54 p.m.

Grant wrote:

After trading land for blankets our forefathers then worked hard on the land to make it productive and now you want it back cause its now making money - it doesnt work like that.

24/09/2012 9:03:17 p.m.

the H word wrote:

Greg, do you have any pratical solutions to add to the debate? Your comments offer nothing constructive.