Rawiri Te Whare: Iwi do not seek special treatment

Rawiri Te Whare. Photo / Amos Chapple

Opinion

Rawiri Te Whare writes that Maori want fairness on a proposal which will significantly affect their livelihoods

The Government's modified Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) demonstrates the tough decisions those tasked with the role of leadership often face.

The decision on this issue is around balancing the expectations of business and taxpayers, against a real commitment to protect the environment for this and future generations.

The Government must find a way forward that commits to an admirable environmental cause, while balancing its not inconsiderable cost to this nation.

The Maori Party also faces some tough decisions on this issue. The party must balance the needs of a constituency that is disproportionately represented in national poverty and negative social statistics, against the expectations of what are, in effect, fledgling iwi commercial enterprises which are disproportionately represented in industries that will feel the greatest burden from the proposal.

What has made this issue even more problematic, and this has become almost typical of late, has been attempts by some to polarise this issue as a race-based one - with Maori seeking preferential treatment.

The criticism is unhelpful, and simplifies what is actually a complex issue. Iwi leaders do not seek special treatment for Maori, we are seeking fairness on a proposal that will have a disproportionate impact on our businesses - and therefore our ability to assist to lift the social, cultural and economic aspirations of our people.

Iwi leaders seek some concessions on the modified ETS based on fairness.

Maori over generations have been stripped of our economic, cultural and social legacy. We have in far too many numbers been pushed to the margins of the new societies that emerged through the use of what were once Maori land and resources.

There has been some momentum in recent years to provide some justice for the losses and marginalisation inflicted on our people.

Treaty settlements have for a number of iwi provided some resource and compensation to assist in lifting the opportunity for our people.

For reasons of circumstance, rather than on fairness or justice, forests have figured disproportionately in settlements. The reasons are, in simple terms, because forestry land also comes back to iwi with accumulated rentals charged to lease the land to foresters.

It is also because iwi can only seek the return of land still owned by the Crown. Private land is excluded, so irrespective of the nature of how the land was taken, by unjust confiscation, or the actions of flawed law, Maori can only seek the return of that which is still currently on the Crown books.

Forestry land - former state forests - are therefore often a key aspect of a settlement.

Te Arawa have had significant lands, now covered in forests, returned to us. The same is the case for many iwi, including Ngai Tahu.

All iwi have also had returned interests in aquaculture, and many have had significant dairying interests also returned to compensate for that which was lost.

It is worth remembering at this point that on average iwi settlements equate to compensation at the rate of around 3 per cent of the value of that which was taken.

So most iwi face an excessive reliance on industries that will be affected most severely by the emissions scheme proposal. This is due more to a fluke of history and a skewed application of justice, than one of preference. For many the decision to seek the return of forests came years before the concept of emissions trading.

The ETS poses additional problems for Te Arawa and iwi involved in forestry. There is a huge cost if, for example, businesses seek to switch land from forestry to another use.

Ultimately settlements are about lifting the social, cultural and economic needs of our people, and clearly those needs are significant.

But it is not just Maori who will be affected by the emissions trading proposal. There are significant risks to New Zealanders' jobs if the country does not share the burden of the Government's trading scheme.

The National-led Government is facing a battle to get its ETS amendment bill through Parliament, with a great deal of controversy over the cost to taxpayers. National is hoping the Maori Party will support its bill as Labour, Act and the Greens have indicated they will oppose it.

The opposition to the Government's ETS is understandable but New Zealanders need to wise up.

Jobs are in jeopardy if businesses are not given support to adjust to the immense costs of the scheme.

Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa believes that industries need as much time as possible to adjust to a new way of operating.

Rawiri Te Whare is general manager of Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa.