Opinion by Heather du Plessis-Allan
I was slightly surprised to read an article in the Herald today in which Maori Development Minister Willie Jackson says Kiwis have “nothing to be scared of” when it comes to Māori co-governance of our assets.
But if you’ve been following the story of Te Urewera National Park, you’ll know that’s not strictly true.
Te Urewera National Park – as in Lake Waikaremoana, one of NZ’s great walks – has been closed since August and only reopened again 9 days ago.
Why? Because it’s no longer run by DOC only.
For the last eight years, it’s also been run by the local iwi tuhoe under a co-governance model.
The problem is that most of the huts and many of the swing bridges were in dire need of repair but the iwi wouldn’t allow the repairs.
Money wasn’t the problem. DOC was prepared to pay for all of it.
But the iwi didn’t think it needed repairing. Apparently, they had “different standards” on the nature of the hazards and told DOC if they didn’t like the situation, they could simply remove the structures.
It’s finally been sorted now, which is why the walk has opened again but we missed the summer.
That right, there is a problem with Māori co-governance.
Because, if that place was run exclusively by DOC, like it was beforehand and DOC shut it down for summer because it just couldn’t be bothered maintaining the assets we’ve all put our taxpayer money into, we would haul the minister over the coals in front of the media and put pressure on them until they pulled up their socks and did their job.
Because they are accountable to us.
But not the iwi.
You can bad mouth the iwi all you like, but they’re not going to lose their jobs because Kiwis are grumpy, we can’t go on a great walk and our assets are being run down. They are not accountable to us.
Now tell me if that’s a model you like, because I don’t.
But that’s what’s coming our way.
This is what Labour is planning for the entire Health System and your water as well.
The health system will be run by Health NZ – a body accountable to you – and a Māori Health authority.
Water will be run by a water authority accountable to you and iwi representatives.
So next time Willie or any of the proponents of Māori co-governance tell you it works and there’s nothing to be afraid of, just remember how well it’s working at Lake Waikaremoana in Te Urewera Nationall Park.
Lake Waikaremoana – Urewera National Park
Footnote: This article was sent to CORANZ. It seems to be an opinion expressed last year but the matter is especially relevant today.
We print it in the interests of public debate. Note national parks are by law for the people’s use and enjoyment, not for any one sector of society.
As CORANZ understands, it was disestablished as a national park in 2014, bye the national John Key led government as a result of the Ngai Tuhoe Treaty of Waitangi settlement, and is now administered by the Te Urewera Board, which comprises joint Tuhoe and Crown membership.
Why did the John key government hand the Urewera Park to Tuhoe. The official line is “The National Parks Act 1980 aims to preserve our national parks in perpetuity for their intrinsic worth and for the benefit use and enjoyment of the public.”
Yet on 23 September 1887, a deed was drawn up in the court at Taupo in which, on behalf of his tribe, Te Heuheu Tukino IV (Horonuku) gifted the summits of Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu to the Crown, thus initiating a process which led to the creation of New Zealand’s first national park.
So what was John Key thinking? Perhaps he wasn’t? Or perhaps there was some political motive such as clinging to “power” with the support of the Maori Party?
It’s all very scary. Democracy must prevail throughout NZ for the benefit of everyone. The coming election is our big chance to continue democracy rule so don’t lose this opportunity to have your say. It’s the right action to take for our future.
Replying to J B Smith, they call it “political expediency” that PM John Key indulged in. It was nothing to do with the public interest. It was purely unadulterated, self-serving political selfishness.
I find it almost unbelievable that long-term locally elected MPs, such as the West Coast’s Damien O’Connor, are sitting quietly instead of speaking out for an electorate which has placed their trust in him for so long. These MPs cannot possibly be unaware of the grave concerns their constituents hold regarding the secret agendas which were foisted on the country after government gained power in the last election. And still they remain silent.
Once Iwi have control of everything and run the lot into the ground who are they going to look to to get it sorted out, the colonists?
I seem to recall that there were vigorous protests against the way some in Tuhoe acted, by other members of the Iwi. Like everywhere there are some hotheads, that in this case brought great whakama (abiding shame) to Tuhoe, creating a loss of mana. Their own sense of being kaitiaki (trusted custodians) of the whenua will have been challenged for Te Urewera is a taonga for not just Tuhoe or the nation but for all humanity. Further, the lack of manakitanga (increasing the mana of guests through acts of hospitality) displayed by the Iwi and further whakama from this will ring through out the years. I suspect that other Iwi will think very carefully about how they act from here on.