Iwi council proposal: More details

FILE

A proposal which could give Te Arawa a greater voice on the Rotorua District Council has caused a lot of debate since details were revealed by the Rotorua Daily Post.

Last week, Rotorua district councillor Mike McVicker brought attention to a memorandum sent to councillors containing a report titled Te Arawa and Rotorua District Council Relationships Options Paper. The report was prepared by Auckland-based solicitor Tama Hovell at a cost of $15,000, paid for by the Rotorua District Council.

There are a number of reasons why the council and its Te Arawa Standing Committee (TASC) commissioned the report.

There have been concerns TASC lacked "teeth" as a council committee and was not taken seriously. And in June last year the council was ordered to pay $115,000 in court costs after the Environment Court found it had misled local hapu Ngati Makino and Ngati Pikiao over its handling of a resource consent process.

In the meantime, the council began an iwi communications audit, which is still ongoing, and is also being led by Mr Hovell.

After her election in October, Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick released the council's "2030 Vision", which made six commitments to residents, including the promise to develop a new partnership model with Te Arawa.

But Mr McVicker said he released the report to media so the public could make up their own minds about it. He said the proposal was undemocratic and gave race-based privilege to local Maori.

The proposal forced Mr McVicker to resign his position as head of the council's Sustainable Economic Growth Strategy group saying he would not be able to work collaboratively with iwi if the council went ahead with its plan to form the new board. Mayor Steve Chadwick said she was committed to developing a new model with Te Arawa and the public would get their chance to have their say.

"Rotorua residents can be assured that no significant change to existing arrangements will be made without a process of public consultation as required under legislation," she said this week.

Key Te Arawa stakeholders will be briefed on the proposal this weekend at a Te Arawa hui-a-iwi (tribal meeting).

Te Arawa and Rotorua District Council future relationship as envisioned

The proposal
- To set up a new Te Arawa board independent of council and Te Arawa entities
- The board would be made up of eight members, two of those to be elected at a hui-a-iwi
- Six members to be selected by a Te Arawa mandated entity
- An executive officer to be employed to help carry out its functions
- Up to two board members to sit on council committees
- Board members to sit on Resource Management Act committee

Who's involved
Members of the Te Arawa Standing Committee
- RDC policy analyst and Maori research officer Karla Kereopa
- Report author Tama Hovell - Auckland-based solicitor for Atkins Holms Majurey, environmental and public law specialists
- Rotorua district councillors and mayor Steve Chadwick

Te Arawa Board powers
- It may consult with any person it considers likely to help carry out its purpose
- It may establish sub-committees it considers likely to help carry out its purpose
- It may seek any advice it considers likely to help carry out its purpose

Council support
- The RDC to provide information the board needs to carry out its purpose
- The RDC to consult the board on any matters relating to Maori
- The RDC to take into account the board's advice
- The RDC to provide, in writing, its reasons why it does not accept advice from the board
- The RDC and board to meet at least four times a year to discuss performance

Timeline
- April: Develop options for Te Arawa partnership model and stakeholder review and recommendations
- May: Revised model with final recommendations and agreement
- June: Present model to council and iwi - council adopts
- July: New model fully operational with the appointment and election of new members