October 30, 2023
No leadership for Auckland Māori wards push
Former Auckland mayoral candidate John Tamihere has described Mayor Wayne Brown as gutless for abstaining from the vote on Māori wards.
Last week’s vote was lost 11-9.
The Waipareira head says while the urban Māori groups backed on the proposal, only two of the 19 mana whenua iwi made submissions, pointing to a lack of leadership that may have affected the outcome.
“Mana whenua people in and of themselves are very good and part of our whole operations across Tamaki Makaurau but they are going to have to wake their leadership up because I don’t know what’s wrong there but they are deeply reluctant to stand up and have a say,” Mr Tamihere says.
He says mana whenua iwi appoint members to the Independent Māori Statutory Board … but that’s not the same as having a vote at the top table.