More co-governance to be served up to unsuspecting communities

Increasingly Treaty of Waitangi settlements are including a requirement to enter into co-governance arrangements. The Ngāti Hinerangi Claims Settlement Bill, which had its first reading in parliament on 19^th September, is one such settlement. The Bill announces the intention to introduce a co-governance arrangement over the upper part of the Waihou and Piako river catchments areas.

The details are not available in the Bill, but co-governance commonly means that there are equal numbers of iwi representatives and council members involved. Therefore, power is shared equally between iwi representatives and the remaining approximately 84% of New Zealanders. How democratic is that? Additionally, they also often fall outside the usual democratic safeguards. Take for example the Waikato River Authority. According to a report released in 2016 by the Office of the Auditor-General.

“The Authority is a unique public entity. It is not subject to the Official Information Act 1982 or the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. Trustees do not have to make minutes of their meetings public or publicise where meetings are held, and can hold meetings behind closed doors.”

Relationship Agreements - a further manifestation of the ‘partnership principle’

The Deed of Settlement also provides for Ngāti Hinerangi to enter into relationship agreements with the Department of Conservation and Ministry for the Environment. The relationship agreements will outline how these agencies will engage with the Ngāti Hinerangi governance entity. Additionally, the summary of the Deed of Settlement also states that a relationship agreement with the New Zealand Transport Agency will be developed outside of the Treaty settlement. This will outline how NZTA will interact with the Ngāti Hinerangi governance entity.

Relationship Agreements are high-level documents that formally acknowledge and identify the scope and extent of understandings and/or working relationships between a local body or a government entity and a specific tangata whenua group. They provide an opportunity for Māori to contribute to the decision-making processes.

Media coverage

Stuff: Ngāti Hinerangi and Crown settle Treaty breaches

RNZ: Ngāti Hinerangi settlement has first reading in parliament

Co-governance Relationship Agreements

Go back to the November 2019 newsletter

Where the parties stand on co-governance

Sep 09, 2023

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

Warning from Northern Ireland – co-government does not work

May 05, 2023

The Northern Ireland governing system established 25 years ago is set up as a power-sharing style of government that relies on the cooperation of different social groups. This arrangement has not delivered the normalised, shared, and de-polarised democracy which was promised by political leaders and pro-consociation theoreticians. It has serious flaws, many of which have become apparent over time. Continue reading

What the hell is co-governance? An explainer……

May 05, 2023

‘Co-governance’ is an emerging and developing model of decision-making in New Zealand. The term refers to a shared governance arrangement - with representatives of iwi on one side, and representatives of central and/or local government on the other, each side having equal voting rights at the decision-making table. Continue reading

The thugs’ veto visits Orewa

Apr 05, 2023

Last month, Julian Batchelor of Stop Co-Governance held a public meeting at the Orewa Community Centre to raise awareness of the dangers of co-governance, and to gather political support to stop it. However, a rabble of badly behaved people sparked a noisy counter protest. This was obviously an attempt to sabotage the event to prevent Mr Batchelor from airing his views. Continue reading

Human Rights Commission partners with Iwi Chairs’ Forum

Apr 05, 2023

The Human Rights Commission (HRC) is supposedly an independent Crown entity, but this is no longer the case. It appears to be greatly influenced by the National Iwi Chairs’ Forum, a group seeking a profound change to the existing political order. Continue reading

Say no to co-governance petition

Dec 14, 2022

Here's our chance to force a referendum on co-governance. Please get in behind a recently-launched petition with the question: “Should New Zealand implement a form of co-governance where 50% of elected representatives to Parliament and local authorities (including community boards and local boards) be elected by voters of Maori descent, and 50% by non-Maori?” Continue reading

Co-governance does far more than ‘tweak’ democracy

May 06, 2022

Co-governance is a manifestation of the Treaty ‘partnership’ ideology. To date co-governance has largely been confined to Treaty settlements over specific natural resources. However, this is now expanding to cover public services and local authorities. Continue reading

Co-governance advocates bully dissenter on Hauraki Gulf Forum

May 06, 2022

Below is an email sent to members of the Gulf Users Group on 28 April 2022: I am writing to bring your attention to an attempt by the Hauraki Gulf Forum’s co-chairs to muzzle Auckland Councillor John Watson, a Forum member, after he shared on social media our NZ Herald advertisement. This advert named the five local body councillors who voted to introduce a new 50:50 co-governance arrangement with mana whenua and ‘others’ to manage the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Furthermore, these five Councillors failed to seek a mandate from the public and ignored the concerns of thousands that had signed our petition or emailed Forum members. Continue reading

Rotorua Lakes Council pushing for Māori co-governance

Apr 06, 2022

The Rotorua Lakes Council no longer believes in one person one vote, each of equal value. Instead, it believes that if you are not Māori, your vote should be worth less. The Council is currently pursuing a law change to enable an undemocratic representation model to be implemented. The model it prefers would consist of three Māori ward seats, three general ward seats, and four at-large seats. However, adopting this arrangement would give the 19,791 citizens on the Māori roll 2.6 times the voting power of the 51,618 citizens on the general roll. Continue reading

No place for democracy in Ngāi Tahu grab for political power

Mar 09, 2022

Oral submissions on the bill to entrench Ngāi Tahu seats on Environment Canterbury were heard by the Māori Affairs Committee last week – and those who watched the proceedings report that there were considerably more presentations in opposition than those in support. Continue reading

PROPOSED CO-GOVERNANCE OF ALL 28 AUCKLAND REGIONAL PARKS

Dec 07, 2021

The partnership ideology under the Treaty of Waitangi is poised to extend to the management of Auckland’s 28 Regional Parks if provisions in the Draft Regional Parks’ Management Plan are adopted. Continue reading

Māori seats in local government a step to 50-50 power share

Jun 04, 2021

Photo: Andrew Judd hiding from a taniwha Before the ink has dried on the establishment of separate Māori seats on 38 councils, calls for "more equitable representation and a partnership with Māori" in a 50/50 power sharing model have arisen - not only from Māori sovereignty activists, but also from some councillors. Continue reading

Iwi push for 'tripartite governance'

Dec 12, 2019

A letter to the New Zealand Productivity Commission from the Auckland Council Mana Whenua Kaitiaki Forum (a collective of the 19 hapū and iwi authorities), dated 22 August 2019, reveals an agenda that turns democracy on its head. The letter talks of an “emerging tripartite governance” – over land and water, comprising central government, local government, and mana whenua. Continue reading

Citizens stand up to the Tūpuna Maunga Authority

Dec 12, 2019

The Tūpuna Maunga Authority* (TMA), who control Auckland’s 14 volcanic cones (tūpuna maunga), is once again causing consternation amongst the people of Auckland - this time by wielding its powers in a destructive and seemingly vengeful way. Waging utu on the exotics? The TMA has plans to remove 2,000 exotic trees from the 14 maunga, and is currently in the process of implementing its decision. Continue reading

Co-governance – the Trojan horse of iwi control

Jul 01, 2019

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

The Maori world view - 'military' style gates on Mt Albert

May 05, 2019

Users of Ōwairaka, the maunga in Auckland's Mt Albert, are objecting to the ‘military’ style gates designed to enforce the summit vehicle ban. Comments include words such as "hideous", "an atrocity", and “out of step with the place's natural beauty”. Continue reading

Advancing the co governance agenda

Mar 04, 2019

Auckland Council recently released a discussion document on developing ‘a water strategy to ensure a secure, sustainable, and healthy future for water in Auckland’ - Our Water Future: Auckland's water discussion. Continue reading

Auckland Council’s ‘Our Water Future’ - Remember to have your say

Apr 08, 2019

Auckland Council recently released a discussion document on developing ‘a water strategy to ensure a secure, sustainable, and healthy future for water in Auckland’. We covered this issue in the March update, but to briefly recap, as to the advancement of a co-governance agenda, concerns centre on the following statements: Continue reading

Draft Auckland Plan Subverts Democracy

Apr 04, 2018

In last month’s newsletter, we went into some detail about how the Draft Auckland Plan 2050 is promoting the subversion of our democracy by bestowing extra co-governance rights on a group of citizens based on race, and requiring the recognition of ‘mana whenua’ as rangatira (chief) in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland). Continue reading

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