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    Māori seats for Auckland Council: Yes/No? Have your say

    Citizens of Auckland - please take this opportunity to say whether you want the council to introduce Māori seats. Consultation closes at 11:59pm on Sunday 24 September 2023.  Auckland Council is currently seeking feedback on their proposal to introduce up to three dedicated Māori seats. Continue reading

    Where the parties stand on co-governance

    Many of us are opposed to co-governance and believe that decision-making must be fair, transparent, and democratic, with all decision-makers accountable to the citizens. This being so, we have reviewed the main political parties to find out their stance on co-governance - both in general and specific to the Hauraki Gulf. The parties appear in alphabetical order. Continue reading

    Hauraki Gulf fisheries under new management

    The Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan (the Plan) has recently been approved by the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries and is now being implemented. Under this plan the control of the fisheries has been taken out of the hands of democratically accountable representatives, now to be managed in a co-governance arrangement between Māori and Crown agencies. Continue reading

    Aucklanders' views to be sought on Māori wards

    Following preliminary engagement with iwi and urban Māori in 2022, Auckland Council will shortly be asking Aucklanders for their feedback on whether they support - or do not support - the introduction of a dedicated Māori seat/s on Council. Public consultation will run from 21 August until 24 September. Continue reading

    The co-governance juggernaut rolls on

    On nearly every front, the Government is creating separate and unequal rights in the name of the Treaty. Undemocratic co-governance policies implemented by the Labour government now extend to the management of significant natural areas (SNAs) - including those on privately owned land.   Continue reading

    Update on Resource Management replacement legislation

    Both the Natural & Built Environment and the Spatial Planning Bills are set to become law in the coming weeks. As we pointed out in previous articles, Labour’s new resource management regime is far worse than the current system. Worse in that it will diminish local voices, reduce democratic accountability, increase uncertainty, and embed inequitable rights based on race.  Continue reading