The politics of Maori seats and Maori appointments

Some appear annoyed that Maori officials can vote on council committees without being elected by Aucklanders. Others are annoyed that the Government has refused to provide Maori seats in the Auckland supercity.

While the Auckland supercity legislation does not permit specific Maori seats in the Auckland City Council, it does permit unelected and advisory members of Maori statutory boards being able to vote on council committees – including having a casting vote. Two members from the nine-member board had been nominated for each of the majority of 20 council committees, and have advisory roles, notwithstanding the ability to have the casting vote, and thus be full decision makers.
However if a Maori representative did provide the casting vote, there is nothing to stop the full council overturning the decision.

Act Leader and Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said he would resign if the council had specific Maori seats. Perhaps he didn’t threaten to resign if there were appointed Maori who could enact a casting vote on council committees because he was aware that the Select Committee hearing the Super City legislation could well approve that decision, giving them “membership rights” – which Act voted for, while not agreeing with it.

It seems that not everyone realised that full membership rights also meant full voting rights.

But the Select Committee snubbed the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, who wanted two Auckland Councillors elected by voters on the Maori roll and another appointed by mana whenua - local Maori with ancestral ties to the land. This decision is why Maori were given a separate forum called the Maori Statutory Board, while retaining the one electoral roll instead of an additional Maori roll, like we have for general elections.

Maori seats normally have a rationale based on indigeneity. Decisions on appointing Maori voting rights are not made on the basis of indigeneity. Even if you accept the indigeneity argument, most Maori in Auckland came from areas outside of Auckland so are not mana whenua – they are taura here and have ancestral ties to other areas. This was probably why the Royal Commission recommended a better compromise: One appointed mana whenua representive, and two others elected from the Maori roll.

This also has problems, as the appointed mana whenua representative would not be elected; and the two elected members will also be elected in part by mana whenua, as well as other Maori who reside in Auckland.

All this has led Labour – who supports Maori seats, while having a bill in the ballot to remove Maori parliamentary seats - to criticise the Government for not appointing Maori seats, but giving unelected Maori voting rights. Providing appointed voting rights sounds less democratic – although more politically tenable - that the provision of democratically elected Maori seats. Act supports neither, and has said so. National is quietly happy as it has Act on side on the prevention of Maori seats (which the Maori Party opposed, but voted for), and the Maori Party on side on the issue of voting rights ( which Act opposed, but voted for).

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Key wonders if people will blame MMP for ACTs problems

John Key speaks on ACT’s problems.

I'm wondering whether the public might say 'look, very small parties are consuming quite a lot of time' and maybe they will take the view that MMP fundamentally isn't working so well.

Of course Key didn’t mention MMP when List MP Richard Worth blew up in his face, so one can only assume he is trying to deflate blame and cover for Rodney Hide. If there was ever a reason to vote MMP in the referendum next year this is it, because MMP will then be reviewed. Perhaps they`ll decide not to let MPs in off the list who failed to win their seats – MPs like Richard Worth. Perhaps they`ll look at the one MP rule so that multiple MPs – or fewer of them – can’t get into parliament on the back of an MP. Perhaps they`ll look at changing the five percent threshold, or ensure list MPs resign from parliament after resigning from their party they got elected to, even if they want to form a new party as did former Alliance MP Alamein Kopu .

Justice Minister Simon Power has said that voters will be well informed about the options of how MMP can be modified, before a referendum is held on the electoral system at next year’s election.

The alternative to MMP is white males in suits running the country like Muldoon did.

It’s weird that Key implies that MMP isn’t working well – but the anti-smacking legislation is working perfectly well, because it was designed not to work at all. MMP works well – if Garrett leaves Parliament, we won’t need an expensive election. But if fewer MPs were let in off the back of an elected representative, or if list MPs were made to resign from parliament after quitting their party, he wouldn’t have had the option of leaving.

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Garrett should resign from Parliament

I am pleased David Garrett has left ACT, because it was the right thing to do. What he should now do is resign from Parliament, and not just because his political career is over. But while Rodney Hide told Garrett that he has no future in ACT, he doesn’t want him to leave Parliament. That’s because ACT will get Hilary Calvert who is next on the list. With Roy and Douglas, they`ll roll Hide as I mentioned yesterday.

Hide may well be wanting to do his best for Epsom. I don’t think Hide will be calling on Garrett to resign from Parliament. He’s not that principled.

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Musical chairs at ACT

Well, what an extraordinary few days it has been for ACT.

ACT Whip David Garrett has his second strike in a week after outing his misdemeanors in Parliament yesterday, thus causing the media to breach permanent name suppression by reporting his entire speech. His media secretary used to work for Heather Roy but now works for John Boscawen because Boscawen's secretary now works for Rodney Hide. That's because Hide apparently fired had his press secretary walk out of his job, and is probably "pursuing other interests". His new one started yesterday - and actually wrote a media release - but still works for Roger Douglas.

Douglas is probably wondering where she is these days.

There is a rumour going round that Heather Roy had something to do with publicising the David Garrett misdemeanors. Not sure what discussions Garrett's press secretary has had with Roy's press secretary. Probably none as they appear to be one and the same person - the one who now works for John Boscawen. At least I think that's right. Probably too busy to talk to himself. Too busy with David Garrett.

John Key now has twice the number of press secretaries that ACT has. The only ACT chair that needs to be filled is that of David Garrett. He really needs to be replaced by Hilary Calvert, who is next on the ACT list. Initially, some thought Calvert would replace Heather Roy when she was demoted after her Ministerial Advisor, and close family friend, leaked a caucus document and was fired. But Calvert likes Roy and didn't want to replace her. Hide doesn't like Roy so much, and may have wanted her replaced - but not with Calvert. Its the Judith Tizard factor. So Hide would want to keep Garrett on so he can still be leader because if Calvert became an MP, Calvert, Douglas and Roy would vote him out.

But John Boscawen would make a good leader of ACT - he'd even get his old press secretary back, assuming she stays with the leader's office. Wonder who would be deputy, perhaps, um, Heather Roy? She`d get her old job and her old press secretary back. The one that referred to her as a f***in' insensitive ignorant bitch. Instead of being spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Veteran’s Affairs, she'd be minister of Consumer Affairs. And ACT will be the only parliamentary party to have an elected MP along with a leader and deputy who are both list MPs.

Why didn't they just replace Hide with Boscawen? Then ACT wouldn't have had to fire anyone, and they'd have an extra press secretary. And Boscawen could stand for Epsom again in 2011, and if he wins Hide could be in off the list.

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So, what would happen?

Referring to this story, what would happen if Rodney Hide was to resign from Parliament, and Winston Peters was to win the subsequent by-election as NZ First leader?

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Maori Party release statement on Harawira

The Maori Party has released a statement today, making it clear that it wants this business with Harawira cleared up, with him continuing as a Maori Party MP. A meeting will be held on Thursday and there`ll be no further comment until then.

These recent incidents are inconsistent with the standards of behaviour, the kaupapa and tikanga that our party is based on. We have asked Mr Harawira to consider a number of actions which we hope will address the offence that has been caused. Our intention is to resolve the current controversies concerning Mr Harawira, a creative, talented, intelligent and energetic person who has the potential to be a very effective politician for the Māori people and for the Nation.

Meanwhile Rodney Hide has released this unprecedented apology over his recent actions. Will Harawira do likewise? Only if he is told to, perhaps. He will be told to. Furthermore, as the electorate is the group that has the final say on whether Harawira remains an MP, the Maori Party will go to the electorate recommeding his retention and an apology. He will not be punished, just told to apologise, even though he is not sorry.

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Act leader confirms he will speak about his ministerial role for $45 a head

Rodney Hide has admitted charging $45 a head to hear him speak on local government is fine, but also admitted that ACT was also wrong to prominately advertise him as local government minister, particularly as local government officials were invited as they were interested in hearing what the minister had to say, not what "Act is up to".

Hide has now revealed why he is to talk about local government:

"They've asked me to speak about local government," he said. "That's what I do".

Hide is correct. It is what he does - but he does it as minister of local government, not as ACT party leader. As ACT party spokesperson on local government, he is just that: a spokesperson.

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ACT party leader wants to charge money to talk about his ministerial role

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Labour is up in arms about Rodney Hide's fundraiser for his party. ACT has advertised a meeting [PDF]where Rodney Hide is going to present his views on a certain topic. The meeting was organised by the local ACT fundraising co-ordinator and the charge is $45 per head.Nothing wrong with that, parties need money.

Yet the topic is local government - and Hide is the Minister of local government. Those attending will want hear what the Minister says, not what the ACT party leader says. Particularly the local government representatives, who have complained to the minister about local government matters, and whose local authority is being investigated by the minister. These representatives have been specifically invited to the meeting by ACT because ACT knows that they want to hear what the Minister has to say. So why did Hide tell reporters this:

I'm not charging as a minister, I'm actually going along to speak as party leader.

So why target, with invitations, those with an interest in Hide's role as a minister? In our democracy, advice and discussion with government ministers are free of charge. So is the $45 charge ethical? Or is it fine for a minister to travel to the meeting as a minster to purportedly speak as a party leader about his ministeral portfolio - provided those attending pay a fee to his political party for the privilege?

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ACT on Campus and democracy

It is no surprise that ACT on Campus supports voluntary membership of student unions. Even if 51% of students want compulsory membership, the group believe that a " fundamental human right" should not be taken away from the rest of students.

So, I expect a statement from ACT on Campus advising that the select committee listening to submissions on the VSM bill should take no notice of submissions that do not support voluntary student membership of unions - akin to the attitude of Rodney Hide with regards to the Maori seats in the Auckland supercity. Substantive democracy doesn't come into it for these people.

Democracy for ACT on Campus means people should be encouraged to have a say - provided that their views are ignored if they don't agree with ACT policy - with the majority of politicians voting accordingly.

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I find it quite ironic that quite a few two-faced Act supporters are annoyed at John Key's undemocratic stance in ignoring the smacking referendum, but are quite happy for Rodney Hide to run roughshod over the select committee process - and treat a Royal Commission report like it didnt exist - with regards to Maori seats on the Auckland City Council.

On 26 May, Rodney Hide said

I have faith in parliamentary democracy and the select committee process. I have made it plain what my views are, but ultimately the decision will be made by Parliament.

He had faith in Parliamentary democracy because he knew that Parliament would not be making the decision on the seats: Cabinet had already made it on 6 April 2009 as noted in Cabinet minute 0912/7, [PDF] that Māori representation should not be provided for within the new Auckland governance structure. At that stage the select committee hadn't even looked at submissions. A week later Hide told John Key that he would resign if Cabinet changed its mind and Maori seats were introduced in the Auckland City Council.

The select committee has not even reported back, yet Cabinet has already made its decision not to include the seats and Key knew for more than two months that he would lose a Minister if the seats were included. I believe that Key and Hide had always intended not to include the seats even before the select committee process started, and that is simply disgraceful.

Rodney Hide is a two-faced hypocrite. Tau Henare has called him a jerk-off. Hide urged National to listen to the public after Key told the country he'll ignore the referendum results. But Hide had effectively just told the public he would be ignoring their submissions on Maori seats in Auckland before they even submitted to the select committee.

It's a shame that Act supporters are not outraged about Hide's blatant unwillingness to agree to anyone that disagrees with him on one issue, while at the same time being outraged that people don't agree with him on another. For Act supporters, democracy is only under attack if their views are attacked.

There is absolutely no way Act can be taken seriously in this government.

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Rodney Hide to resign over Maori seats

post has been updated
Rodney Hide says he will have to resign as minister if Auckland gets Maori seats on the super council, as it is fundamentally against the culture of New Zealand. He even said it won't threaten the stability of government as Act will still provide confidence and supply.

He's wrong about the seats. He's partially right about the stability; as the Maori Party also provides confidence and supply, stability wont be threatened even if Act withdraws its support.

My take is simply this: Auckland should get the seats.If Hide wants to resign it is up to him, but he`d be a hypocrite not to if Auckland get the seats. Audrey Young said this in October last year

Act's Rodney Hide put his weight behind the Maori Party last night, supporting any move to entrench the Maori seats on the basis that what was good for the general seats should apply to the Maori seats too.

Whereas here he says the Maori seats are " just wrong". If they are just wrong, why support entrenchment and stand ACT candidates in the Maori electorate at the 2008 election?

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