Post by Kiwi Frontline on May 16, 2019 17:10:34 GMT 12
COUNCIL'S MOVE TO HAVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS PICKED BY IWI LABELLED 'WORSE THAN RACIST'
The Otago Regional Council has backed a controversial measure which will allow Ngāi Tahu to hand pick two candidates to sit on the council's policy committee.
But the proposal did not pass without incident, as it sparked a heated and at times fractious debate among councillors.
Councillors expressed surprise in the public's interest and vitriol in the matter, which councillor Michael Deaker explained was simply a "steady progression over the last 20 years of this council building a relationship with Ngāi Tahu".
Mr Laws said the measure did not favour Māori, it favoured only those associated with the rūnanga.
"Eighteen months ago you rejected Māori wards - every single one of you around this table and you said one of the reasons was you can't have racial preference.
"Bang. We are going to have two iwi representatives on the policy committee and they're going to have voting rights and we're going to pay them. There's no logical consistency there.".....
www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/389277/council-s-move-to-have-committee-members-picked-by-iwi-labelled-worse-than-racist
The Otago Regional Council has backed a controversial measure which will allow Ngāi Tahu to hand pick two candidates to sit on the council's policy committee.
But the proposal did not pass without incident, as it sparked a heated and at times fractious debate among councillors.
Councillors expressed surprise in the public's interest and vitriol in the matter, which councillor Michael Deaker explained was simply a "steady progression over the last 20 years of this council building a relationship with Ngāi Tahu".
Mr Laws said the measure did not favour Māori, it favoured only those associated with the rūnanga.
"Eighteen months ago you rejected Māori wards - every single one of you around this table and you said one of the reasons was you can't have racial preference.
"Bang. We are going to have two iwi representatives on the policy committee and they're going to have voting rights and we're going to pay them. There's no logical consistency there.".....
www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/389277/council-s-move-to-have-committee-members-picked-by-iwi-labelled-worse-than-racist