Environment Minister David Parker has launched an "overhaul" of the Resource Management Act (RMA), seeking to cut complexity and costs and better protect the environment.  Continue reading

Navigators and Naturalists – French exploration of New Zealand and the South Seas (1769 - 1824), by Michael Lee. Married and Gone to New Zealand, edited by Alison Drummond. Anyone interested in the truth about NZ history should read these books. Continue reading

The Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities Bill will create a new authority that will be the leading authority for all urban development projects. Kāinga Ora will be required to identify and protect Māori interests, partner and have early and meaningful engagement with Māori, and offer Māori opportunities to participate in urban development. Find out more and have your say on the bill by July 11th. Continue reading

The Ministry of Maori Development, is developing a plan to progress the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Given the serious implications of this declaration, and the adoption of an engagement process with iwi, hapū and whānau, but not the wider community, the government needs to hear from us. Continue reading

This group is actively campaigning to have its proposals for constitutional transformation adopted. The report is available below. The proposed models for consideration can be found on pages 104 – 112. See also the group’s suggested plan of action on page 113.   Continue reading

Some think co-governance is being nice and inclusive - but it's not working out that way in practice. All is not well in the co-governance arrangements we have been observing in Auckland. We have reported previously on how the citizens of Devonport have been treated by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority. This unfortunate state of affairs was reinforced at the Authority’s hui on May 6th. Continue reading

You may have read the article ‘Saving the Gulf: tradition holds key’ published in the NZ Herald on June 24 (copy below), which promotes the idea of ahu moana - 50:50 co-management arrangements between mana whenua and local communities covering the entire coastline of the Hauraki Gulf. Regrettably, the ahu moana proposals are not the only avenue being pursued for control of the Gulf. Communications consultant Fiona McKenzie, in her article ‘Who’s Protecting the Public Interest?’ warns us of that democratic governance of the Hauraki Gulf is being threatened on three fronts. Continue reading

An update on applications lodged in the High Court: The second round of case management conferences are currently underway. The applicants have been requested to provide evidence to back up their claims, including accurate maps. They have also been instructed to deal with the overlapping claims. One of our members attended the conference held on 27th June in the Auckland High Court and will be reporting back to our Working Group at the July meeting. Continue reading

At our June Democracy Action Working Group meeting it was proposed we set a group to investigate and challenge false information wherever and whenever it arises. This is an action you can do at your keyboard – no need to attend meetings. If anyone would like to join this group, please send Susan a message via the Contact Form on our site.

1. ‘Blood and Tears’, by Adam Plover  “New Zealand's history is being rewritten with a new narrative in favour of the ever-growing grievance industry. In the process real historical events are being swept under the carpet and out of sight if they get in the way of this new agenda. This book, based on facts alone and impeccably researched, tells of some of these long-buried events as they really happened”. Continue reading