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The Iwi Chairs Forum’s spokesman on Māori sovereignty and governance says the Government is being out-manoeuvred on the issue of co-governance – as political opponents play the race card to stoke fear and win votes.
Te Huia Bill Hamilton says there are already successful examples of co-governance, such as the Waikato River Authority where Tainui iwi, the regional council, and the Conservation Department are all working together to improve the river’s health and well-being.
But he says the ACT Party and National are stoking anti-Māori fears by claiming it amounts to special treatment.
“They’re doing it for political reasons – just to create fear. So that they can get more votes. Because there’s still a redneck element out there that will vote for anything that smells of being Māori,” he says.
Mr Hamilton says Labour should have promoted the benefits of positive co-governance earlier rather than being politically out-manoeuvred.
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