Maori board wants more of Auckland Council budget

An Auckland Maori board says more of the super city's budget needs to be directed at Maori. Photo / Brett Phibbs

A Maori board is considering judicial action unless Auckland Council commits more money to Maori development.

The Independent Maori Statutory Board said the council's 10-year draft budget provided less than a third of the $295 million needed to improve the position of Maori, Radio New Zealand reported.

The sum was needed to cover work and spending over the next 10 years to help with Maori facilities, significant land and sites, strengthening the culture and environmental work, the board argued.

The budget goes to a key committee today.

Chairman David Taipari said he was happy with the words and aspirations in the budget, but said more funding was needed to make it happen.

"If I can use the terminology, talk is cheap. Put your money where your mouth is because you can identify all the issues in the world, but if you don't do anything to fix them, then what's the point.

"So we've done that, we've identified what we can in the time we've been given with the resources made available, and now it's about if you're genuine about adopting those Maori outcomes, which [council] should be, you've got to do something about it.''

The board planned to oppose the draft budget in its current form, and was considering a judicial review if the inadequate funding was not addressed, reported RNZ.

"If council through its governing body doesn't support appropriate provision for Maori resourcing in terms of those outcomes, then the board does have to consider the options it has available.''