Hikoi unlikely to make difference - Key

John Key suggested the protesters were 'a little bit ahead of themselves'. File photo / Mark Mitchell

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Today's hikoi against the proposed Auckland Super City is unlikely to make a difference, is premature and the wrong forum to raise concerns, Prime Minister John Key says.

A large protest is to wind its way through Auckland streets today with some estimates predicating 10,000 people would converge on Queen Street by midday.

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The hikoi was sparked over the dumping of the Maori seats from the Auckland super city proposal - in contrast to a Royal Commission recommendation.

Mr Key was asked on TV One's Breakfast show what he thought about the protest and the disruption it would cause.

"Obviously people have a right to protest and we respect that," he said.

"(But) I can't help but wonder if they are a little bit ahead of themselves."

The right forum to raise concerns was through the parliamentary process, he said.

The select committee soon to start looking at legislation setting up the council would consider the issues raised by the protest, Mr Key said.

It would look at the governance structure, how councillors were elected and issues around Maori representation.

"I don't think the hikoi of itself will make any difference really...we are going to go through the select committee process, that's not a white wash we are actually going to listen to what happens there. We are trying to work on getting an outcome that works for everyone."

On Maori representation National preferred the idea of an advisory board than appointed seats.

"We certainly didn't like the idea they were appointed, rather than elected."

Earlier this month, Mr Key said there were inherent difficulties when an area had two iwi, in this case Ngati Whatua and Tainui, with the status.

"The second thing is we live in a democracy, and having someone in a democratic election appointed seems to me to run counter to the logic of what a democracy is all about," Mr Key said.

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide this morning told Breakfast told the programme the Government was listening and did want to engage with local iwi and discussions with the Maori Party were continuing.

"I have to say though it's pretty tough to imagine a situation where you have a reserved place or places on the council for a local tribe."

Mr Hide said having a supercity would help sort out transport issues in Auckland.

Galvanising Aucklanders

Hikoi organiser Ngarimu Blair told Radio New Zealand this morning the goal was to "galvanise" Aucklanders in supporting the inclusion of Maori seats.

"(It's) also giving them a voice (for) their concerns about how their democratic rights are being ridden roughshod over through this very rushed process," Mr Blair said.

He said the intention was not to inconvenience Aucklanders.

"That's why we have the hikoi at lunchtime. If we were aiming to cause disruption we would have had it at rush hour."

Protest action will be rolling throughout the city from early this morning, culminating in a hikoi up Queen St and a rally in Aotea Square.

The NZ Transport Agency was expecting delays in every direction for people coming into the city in rush-hour. Motorists travelling on the harbour bridge and all motorways would be affected.

The Auckland Regional Transport Authority said bus services would be subject to diversions dependent on road closures and openings. General manager Mark Lambert advised travellers to expect delays between 9.30am and 4pm. Alternative public transport such as trains and ferries should be considered.

Iwi proposal

Meanwhile, Iwi have put a proposal to the Government pushing for Maori representation on the Auckland Council, which addresses Prime Minister John Key's aversion to mana whenua representatives or appointment by tribes as recommended by the Royal Commission.

Tainui's Tuku Morgan and Tiwana Tibble for Ngati Whatua are leading the talks with National and the Maori Party.

Neither would comment yesterday but in a statement said a joint proposal had been submitted to the Cabinet via Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples.

Dr Sharples said he could not go into details, but the proposal included a minimum of two mana whenua seats.

"What I can tell you [is that the proposal contains] a means by which mana whenua can select in a democratic fashion their representatives."

He was optimistic about the proposal's success.

"I guess it's got to go through the hoops. I think the hikoi will promote the whole urgency of it."

Tainui and Ngati Whatua said options included details of potential voting systems for Maori.

"The model proposed balances a need for Maori being included at the top table while maintaining the National Government's principles of democracy, efficiency and transparency. The details of those negotiations are fluid and the outcome is still uncertain."