PM confident Maori Party won't quit deal
KATE CHAPMAN AND DANYA LEVY
Should the Maori Party split with National if Treaty protections are removed from asset sales law?
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Politics
Prime Minister John Key says the Government is committed to meeting its Treaty of Waitangi obligations and will find a way to settle tensions with the Maori Party.
The Maori Party threatened today to split with National over plans to remove Treaty references when state-owned assets are sold.
Co-leader Tariana Turia said that, if it came down to the wire, the Maori Party would have to "consider its position" with the Government.
The Government has been accused of selling Treaty rights to the highest bidder following suggestions Treaty protections will not be included in new legislation to enact the partial sale of state-owned assets.
It is required to pass legislation to remove the four energy companies from the State-Owned Enterprises Act to proceed with the sales.
Turia said National did not discuss the removal of the Treaty clause with the Maori Party during confidence and supply negotiations and they were not happy with it.
But Key said this afternoon he was "extremely confident" the Maori Party would remain part of the Government.
"There are lots of times when there's been debate and discussion."
The agreement between the two parties allowed for disagreement, he said. The Government would find an "elegant way through" the situation.
The new legislation would not put Treaty obligations on the private sector, Key said. But the companies will remain 51 per cent Government owned.
"We can't put a Treaty clause on private sector shareholders."
The difference with past sales of state-owned assets was that they had been totally sold.
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Tony Ryall said Section 9 of the SOE Act - which requires the Crown to act in a manner consistent with the principles of the Treaty - was left out of legislation enabling the sale of Contact Energy in 1999, as well as the sale of other state-owned assets in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
It wouldn't make sense for the energy companies to be subject to Section 9 of the SOE Act because it applied to the Crown, Key said.
Under the mixed ownership model the Crown was not the only shareholder.
"There's a lot of discussion to be had, water to flow under the bridge."
The Government was open to creating specific Treaty clauses in the new legislation, Key said.
Finance Minister Bill English had spoken to the Maori Party this afternoon and explained National's stance.
SHAKY GROUND
Labour leader David Shearer says the tensions between the Maori Party and National raise concerns about the stability of the Government.
Shearer says John Key electioneered on forming a stable Government.
"And within one month effectively of this Government coming into operation it's already seen to be unstable."
If the Maori Party did walk away National would be left relying on one ACT MP to hold the Government together, he said.
Shearer said the Maori Party would likely be upset at not being told about the Treaty clause but it did not concern Labour who were opposed to asset sales in any form.
"One would have expected that they told the Maori Party before they went into this agreement what exactly was coming down the track in terms of the sale of the assets."
He said Labour was also concerned about the likelihood that the social responsibility clause would not apply under the new legislation.
Removing the Treaty and social responsibility clauses from new legislation opened the way for foreign ownership and eventually the total sale of the assets, Shearer said.
"It's quite clear that what they're doing is putting profits before people and enabling overseas buyers more access to our assets."
Turia said the party would talk to iwi and constituents and take advice from them.
If they told the party to leave its arrangement with National they were prepared to do so and would not stay in the arrangement "at all costs".
"If they remove Section 9 there will be no reason for them to consult with Maori about issues so they would actually be denying that the Treaty exists."
The Party had to be very clear about who they represented, Turia said.
"It's really in the iwi hands, the iwi have to stand firmly on this issue because we're here representing their interests and our peoples interests."
The issue would cause tension at Waitangi Day commemorations over the weekend and at least one iwi leader had suggested Maori hold a hikoi in protest of the move, she said.
Co-leader Pita Sharples said the party was not in government to ignore the real issues.
"This Treaty clause is about New Zealand. It's not just about Maori. The Treaty is all of our Treaty and this clause protects us and our natural resources, us New Zealand, and that's really, really important to me."
- © Fairfax NZ News
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I find it hard to fathom that a some morons think a contract has to have an exipry date that wasnt stated, Im sure if it did have one that stated "up until we have taken all the land cheers" no one would have signed it! Im going to try an experiment tomorrow, Ill walk in to my bank and tell him the mortgage contract is too old now, sorry bout it.
The maori party are merely posturing to try and show their flagging support that they are still somehow relevant. With Sharples & Turia leaving this term they have no-one to take the mantle of leadership and they know that outside of Govt they are going to be as much use as Mana or NZ First - NONE. This is a dead rubber as the Govt will retain majority ownership and the treaty obligations will still be met. The sooner NZ closes the whole Treaty of Waitangi chapter and moves in a forward direction without the whole grievance industry the better in my opinion.
At the end of the day all these issues with the treaty need to come to an end if new zealand is going to move on. Effectively the only way NZ can retain its own identity as the maori and a lot of commentors want would be to close our borders and produce all our own goods. Effectively putting us in a similiar position to cuba. This will never happen as we are to consumer driven and want all the latest gadgets without making the sacrifices necessary. Our current way of life during the past 10 or so years in un-sustainable. We do not produce enough and do not have enough new money coming into new zealand while we have a shrinking tax payer pool. Something has to give sooner or later. While im not necessarily a fan of assets sales its better to sell the asseets while we can still ask a price rather than when we have no choice but to sell them as will most likely happen if something does not change. NZ is currently surviving by borrowing and that line of credit is not guaranteed. What will happen if it is cut off.
One other thing .. resolve the treaty issues and you will see a much larger percentage of skilled kiwis willing to return. Our low wage economy is not the only thing pushing graduates away.
A lot of young professionals (myself included) were not around during the signing of the treaty, consider ourselves new zealanders, are sick of the constant division and want our taxes going to the betterment of all of this country and not to treaty claims.
At least the Maori Party are fighting to keep our country in Kiwi hands!!
Stuff - How typical of you to open the comments section when you SHOULD know from previous articles how many racist, hurtful and disgusting comments are made by such stupid un-educated morons. Freedom of Speech? These comments are sickening and an embarrassment.
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FAIL
At the end of the day, these red neck comments only serve to reinforce the bitterness that Maori feel towards Pakeha. It makes me laugh when fools go on about a European party. Basically National was the Europeans Party because they served only wealthy pakeha interests. Labour was also a party that predominantly pandered to pakeha working class, occasionally throwing the od crumb to Maori. Now it appears that labour wants the mantle of red neck party. Key wil win in 2014 because Labour is so useless with Shearer at the helm.
@Julie G - A European Party would be very appropriate if started in Europe where Europeans originated from. As we have with the Maori Party...
Always good to see how John Key manages difficult issues - BADLY.
The Maori Party are in a difficult position.
They are currently in a position where they can affect changes. Not a strong position, but one where they can push Maori issues and see positive changes. That is their M.O.
Leaving the coalition, they would be in the exact same position as the Mana party - able to condemn and make claims, but unable to directly influence or affect anything.
Leaving the coalition would morally be the correct choice, but does it override their broader moral directive the Maori Party have to contribute to Maori wellbeing?
Is it important enough to force giving up decision-making powers and a "seat at the head table"?
I think it will prove to be in the end, but it is quite a dilemma.
You just heard John Key describe an abusive relationship. He is confident Maori won't leave, because he has made sure them and their children have nowhere else to go.
National Party drones have a child like view of fairness, in that is fair when something benefits them.
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Economist #230 The treaty governs the partnership between iwi and government, it is enshrined in law, all local governments must include local iwi in certain decision making by law, the partnership is ongoing and evolves accordingly, so to answer your question it influences much around you without you knowing, and it always will.