No Maori seats for super city

No Super City Seats For Maori

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The Maori Party plans to introduce amendments to create dedicated Maori seats for the new Auckland super city, after Cabinet today ruled them out.

Prime Minister John Key said ministers had given consideration to the issue, but decided against it, in a decision Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples described as "taking heed of politics".

ACT leader Rodney Hide had threatened to quit as Local Government Minister if seats had been reserved for Maori.

The move will leave the Maori Party disappointed as they had lobbied hard for some form of elected Maori representation on the council.

Mr Key said Mr Hide and Dr Sharples had now been given the task of finding another way to get effective Maori representation on the council.

The Royal Commission which reported on Auckland's local government structure recommended reserved Maori seats but the Government scrapped that when it set out its plans for the city.

Dr Sharples said resigning was not an option for him or co-leader Tariana Turia at this point, though he was "brassed off" at the decision.

While he respected Mr Hide's view, he disagreed with his resignation threat over a small part of the super city proposal that was important to Maori.

One option proposed but rejected by Mr Hide was that the seats be set up via an amendment that he could vote against.

Dr Sharples said he thought Mr Hide had employed over-the-top tactics.

"I am really, totally disappointed that he's put his Cabinet post on the line like this because I think that's unfair," Dr Sharples said.

"He thinks this whole city is him.

"He see it as a Rodney Hide venture."

Mr Key was unruffled by Mr Hide's ultimatum, which followed the prime minister sounding him out about the possibility of a changed position on the seats.

Mr Hide had assured Mr Key that ACT would not threaten the stability of the Government and the confidence and supply agreement would remain in place.

Dr Sharples said Maori Party would draft amendments to try to bring back dedicated Maori seats.

He was hopeful of getting some National MPs to cross the floor to support the amendments.

Ngati Whatua spokesman Ngarimu Blair has criticised the Government for not allowing democracy to run its course.

He said Maori had followed the democratic process - going through a Royal Commission which recommended Maori seats, then going through the select committee where Mr Blair claimed 90 per cent of submitters had supported Maori seats.

Yet the Government had made a decision on Maori seats before the select committee process was finished.

"We have participated in the democratic process and done everything we were asked to. We are disappointed that the crown didn't hold up its end. All that we can ask is that they at least follow their own processes."

But he said Ngati Whatua were glad they at least knew the Government's views now rather than continue a "masquerade" of consultation.

- with Stuff.co.nz and NZPA

- © Fairfax NZ News