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August 22, 2016
National Urban Maori Authority CEO, Lance Norman.
Waatea Team
Posted On August 22, 2016
National Urban Maori Authority CEO, Lance Norman.
Urban Maori need greater voice on Independent Maori Statutory Board
The National Urban Māori Authority (NUMA) wants a greater voice for Mataawaka on the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB).
Nominations for the two Mataawaka positions are currently being called for, and close on August 23.
NUMA is nominating Willie Jackson and John Tamihere for those two Mataawaka positions.
But NUMA CEO Lance Norman believes the two-seat allocation is inequitable. He said the numbers are in NUMA’s favour, and Mataawaka – Māori who live in Auckland but are not mana whenua – should have 50% of the seats on Independent Māori Statutory Board.
With over 60% of Māori coming from Iwi outside of Tamaki Makaurau, the two seat allocation is gross under-representation he says.
“It’s unheard of that a minority chooses on behalf of a majority – the last time this happened was in apartheid South Africa,” he adds.
“For the views of over 130,000 Māori, expected to be voiced by just two is inequitable.”
“We outnumber mana whenua 5:1 but the current makeup of the IMSB continues to ignore that majority voice.”
A selection panel drawn from Auckland’s mana whenua Iwi appoint all members – ironically including the two representatives of Mataawaka.
At the last election, the High Court threw out one of the panel’s selections because it hadn’t given proper consideration to the applicants.
And more recently the IMSB stepped aside from the Auckland Unitary Plan and lost the protection of Wāhi Tapu, a move Norman says this should never have happened.
“Whatever the strategy was, it didn’t work and now mana whenua have a fight on their hands to retain protection of those valued sites,” Norman says.
“Mataawaka wants to get on with the job of building a greater Auckland for all and we can do this by making sure 130,000 are equitably represented.”
National Urban Maori Authority CEO, Lance Norman talks with Claudette Hauiti
Nominations for the two Mataawaka positions close on Tuesday.
Information is at www.manawhenuaselectionbody.maori.nz
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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