Subcommitte to hear Supercity submissions from Maori

A special parliamentary subcommitte has been set up to hear submissions from Maori about Maori seats on the new Auckland Council and other issues to do with the establishment of the supercity.

The subcommittee of the Auckland Governance Legislation Select Committee will be hearing submissions at Orakei Marae at Takaparawha on Wednesday, Te Puea Marae in Mangere on Thursday and Hoani Waititi Marae in Glen Eden on Friday.

The Maori committee is chaired by Tau Henare of the National Party and the committee also includes Simon Bridges of National, the Maori Party’s Hone Harawira, and Labour’s Shane Jones.

Metiria Turei of the Green Party might also attend.

“This is the first time that a special Maori subcommittee has ever been established in this way... and we hope it won’t be the last,” Mr Henare says.

Formal submissions will be heard from 9am to noon each day while there will be a more informal approach in the afternoons from 1pm to 5pm to allow as many Maori as possible to have their say, Mr Henare says.

“We’ll be there next week. We’re keen to hear from the people. The rest is up to you.”