Hobson’s Pledge Trust
South Island tribe Ngai Tahu tried and failed in 2019 to have legislation passed to get two seats on the Canterbury Regional Council as of right, in perpetuity. Now they are at it again asking that council to support a new bill called the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngai Tahu Representation) Bill.
Two years ago, National, New Zealand First, and ACT MPs defeated an earlier version of the bill with the same name that would have granted un-elected members of Ngai Tahu the right to sit and vote on the Canterbury Regional Council.
The balance of power in Parliament has shifted now that New Zealand First is out of government. At a meeting of the regional council on May 13, Ngai Tahu sought council support for another Canterbury Regional Council (Ngai Tahu Representation) Bill.
Currently, the Canterbury Regional Council has 14 councillors plus two Ngai Tahu advisors.
Its main purpose is to control the management of water, and the management of land in relation to controlling the quality and quantity of water. The biggest water use in rural Canterbury is for irrigation.
The proposed bill would add two voting councillors appointed by Ngai Tahu, which is a private tribal entity that has extensive interests in farming and water use.
Ngai Tahu does not want Maori constituencies for which anyone who wants to represent Maori roll voters may stand. They prefer voting Ngai Tahu appointees.
The Regional Council supported Ngai Tahu on this point in their submission on Maori wards in February to the Maori Affairs Select Committee. See Maori constituencies submission
The tribe also wants the appointees paid at the same rate as councillors but funded outside of the usual source of remuneration for councillors.
Our online Change.org petition two years ago attracted more than 17,800 signatures opposing voting tribal appointees.
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