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October 28, 2013
Mayor wants speedy end to maataawaka challenge
Waatea Team
Posted On October 28, 2013
Auckland mayor Len Brown is hoping for a speedy resolution to a dispute over an appointment to the city’s Independent Maori Statutory Board.
Urban Maori advocate Willie Jackson is challenging the refusal of a panel of mana whenua iwi representatives to appoint him to represent maataawaka, or Maori who come from iwi outside Tamaki Makaurau.
He says the panel ignored the fact he had endorsements from maataawaka groups throughout the super city, while the member it reappointed, Tony Kake, had none.
At a judicial conference on Friday, it was agreed Mr Kake would not be appointed to council committees or hold a position of responsibility on the board until the High Court has reviewed the decision.
Mr Brown says it’s important to resolve the issue.
"The Auckland Council, once we're inaugurated tonight, will be moving with some real pace. I'm very clear about what we need to achieve. We've got a draft budget coming down on November 17 so we don't want to be mucking around so I am hopeful that whatever Willie's take is, that it is dealt with reasonably quickly," he says.
Mr Brown says the Independent Maori Statutory Board did well in its first term with its audit of the council’s responsiveness under the Treaty of Waitangi and its completion of a Maori plan.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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