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There’s support from an influential tribal leader for change in the make up of the Auckland Maori Statutory Board.
Urban Maori advocates says it’s not fair that mataawaka or Maori from tribes outside Tamaki Makaurau just two seats of the nine seats on the board.
That’s even though hey outnumber people from mana whenua tribes in the super city by four to one.
Former Waikato Tainui chair Tukoroirangi Morgan says an unfortunate consequence is mana whenua are pitted against urban Maori, instead of being in a structure where they can work together.
"Clearly the statistics show us there are lots of iwi living in this city and there has to be a rational and sensible debate around making sure there is better representation for those people on the organisation structure of Auckland supercity," he says.
Mr Morgan would also like to see a Waikato Tainui seat on the Independent Maori Statutory Board, rather than just having a few of its Auckland-based hapu sitting around the table.
Nominations for the two mataawaka seats closed yesterday with the National Urban Maori Authority nominating former MPs John Tamihere and Willie Jackson.
Copyright © 2016, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com
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