Government must stand up for Auckland Māori board

15 February 2011

Instead of allowing Auckland Council to waste time, money and energy in legal battles over Māori representation the Government should agree to fund the board that they chose to set up, said Council of Trade Unions Vice President Māori Syd Keepa today.

“The Minister for Local Government had the opportunity to create Māori seats on the new Auckland supercity council,” said Syd Keepa. “Instead he rejected the democratic option and said the unelected board would represent Māori interests. Now when the cost of resourcing the board is revealed he wants to wash his hands of the decision and let the council waste ratepayer dollars contesting the issue in court. Elected seats would have given Maori a real voice at the table including on expenditure and priorities. It now appears the Government is prepared to let the undemocratic option it promoted become ineffective due to lack of funding.”

“The Government should bite the bullet and support the funding of the Māori board. Job creation for unemployed Māori in the city should be the Government’s top priority. Let’s get to work on that and stop messing around in the courts. The Government chose this structure, they’ve got to stand by it.”

ENDS

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