Post by Kiwi Frontline on May 31, 2024 6:22:03 GMT 12
Tom O'Connor: MINDS MADE UP ON MĀORI WARDS BILL BEFORE IT WAS WRITTEN?
It seems that the district mayors who signed the joint Local Government New Zealand letter opposing the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill did not read or understand the bill before doing so. I wonder how many consulted their communities before signing.
Admittedly it is not an easy bill to read. But, judging by some of the political rhetoric from throughout the country, minds were made up to oppose the bill well before it was even written.
The objective of the bill is not about preventing Māori wards, in spite of some ill-informed commentary and outrageous claims in and out of Parliament. The bill seeks to restore and reaffirm the right of communities to make those important constitutional decisions for themselves, not have their councils making those decisions for them without their knowledge or consent.
Some councils have ignored that requirement and established Māori wards without public consultation. They will now be required to hold a retrospective binding poll at the 2025 local elections, if they did so since 2020, and that seems fair, democratic and reasonable.
Equally ill informed is the claim by LGNZ that the Government is intruding into the right of councils to make decisions on behalf of their communities. The bill does not propose that or anything like it.....
breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2024/05/tom-oconnor-minds-made-up-on-maori.html
It seems that the district mayors who signed the joint Local Government New Zealand letter opposing the Local Government (Electoral Legislation and Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill did not read or understand the bill before doing so. I wonder how many consulted their communities before signing.
Admittedly it is not an easy bill to read. But, judging by some of the political rhetoric from throughout the country, minds were made up to oppose the bill well before it was even written.
The objective of the bill is not about preventing Māori wards, in spite of some ill-informed commentary and outrageous claims in and out of Parliament. The bill seeks to restore and reaffirm the right of communities to make those important constitutional decisions for themselves, not have their councils making those decisions for them without their knowledge or consent.
Some councils have ignored that requirement and established Māori wards without public consultation. They will now be required to hold a retrospective binding poll at the 2025 local elections, if they did so since 2020, and that seems fair, democratic and reasonable.
Equally ill informed is the claim by LGNZ that the Government is intruding into the right of councils to make decisions on behalf of their communities. The bill does not propose that or anything like it.....
breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2024/05/tom-oconnor-minds-made-up-on-maori.html