More Maori input needed, says Tanczos

By AUDREY YOUNG, political editor

Green MP Nandor Tanczos wants the select committee hearing evidence on Privy Council appeal rights to convene special hui to seek the views of more Maori.

Mr Tanczos' views may count for a lot: the minority Government needs the support of either the Greens or United Future to pass the bill establishing a new Supreme Court in New Zealand.

The Greens voted for the bill's first reading, while United Future opposed it. Neither party has committed itself to a final position, each wanting to exert as much influence as possible.

United Future is thought to be leaning towards it, but favours the introduction of overseas judges and changes to the appointment process so an entire court is not appointed at once.

The Greens are also leaning towards support, but Mr Tanczos is also interested in changing it to allow overseas judges to sit on the court.

And he has a particular concern about Maori views on abolishing appeals to the Privy Council.

"There is still concern about the level of debate because a lot of people still haven't engaged with it," he said.

The concern was not so much with the bill itself or with the Supreme Court "but with the way many Maori seem to feel it's another example of Maori, as one of the treaty partners, not being adequately consulted," Mr Tanczos said.

"I think the select committee should be looking at whether it could play a more active role in engaging with Maori in the debate about the issue.

"I've talked in the past about making sure we have hearings on marae, but I think maybe we need to look at hui. A lot of Maori hapu simply haven't engaged with the select committee.

"The Greens position won't be decided by me," said Mr Tanczos, "but obviously I will make my recommendation to caucus and that will carry a lot of weight."

"The Greens play a pivotal role in this issue and it is a significant constitutional bill. That's why I don't want to have a closed mind. And the Government can't afford to have a closed mind."

Justice and electoral select committee chairman Tim Barnett did not rule out agreeing to Mr Tanczos' suggestion.

"What the committee has agreed is we will sit down after the first round of submissions and decide where we go next. "That may be bringing in people to conduct discussions on issues in our presence to try to tease them out."

Another option would be to initiate further discussions of the sort Mr Tanczos was talking about.

The committee has received 288 submissions. It has had two days of hearings, one in Auckland and one in Wellington. Two further days in Wellington and one each in Auckland and Rotorua are scheduled.