July 09, 2019
Local Government NZ embraces Māori view of local
The chair of Local Government New Zealand's Te Maruata Māori sub-committee says the association's new localism drive fits well with a kaupapa Māori approach.
At its annual conference over the weekend, LGNZ put out a call for more resources and decision-making power devolved from central to local government.
Bonita Bingham says localism is what whānau, hapū and iwi have done forever.
"We don't tell our cousins at the next marae or we don't tell out neighbouring hapū how to manage their affairs so localism for us is the grassroots up model and interestingly that concept has been picked up by LGNZ as a reflection of how this was done for hundreds of years and how this is still done within Māori communities," she says.
The Local Government New Zealand reflected a greater appreciation and acceptance of the Māori dimension, from the powhiri to the high level support given to the break-out Te Maruata hui at Waiwhetū Marae to the 98 percent vote to include a representative of Te Maruatā on the national executive.
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