MP Flavell says Maori need more say

An iwi hui was held in Ohinemutu yesterday to discuss the proposal of forming a new Te Arawa board. Photo/Stephen Parker

Having Maori more involved in decision making can only be a good thing for Rotorua, according to MP Te Ururoa Flavell.

His comments come after an iwi hui in Ohinemutu yesterday to discuss the controversial proposal to form a new Te Arawa board to replace the council's Te Arawa Standing Committee.

The new board, which could be in place as soon as July, would act independently from council and be allowed to sit on council committees, be part of Resource Management Act decisions and have the capacity to establish its own sub-committees. While Mr Flavell didn't attend the meeting, he said he supported Te Arawa having a greater voice in the region's decision making.

"I mean Rotorua was built on the goodwill of Maori, so why shouldn't Maori have more of a say in the decision making of the area? People should look forward to that, it's nothing but positive," he said.

Mr Flavell said since Rotorua had one of the highest populations of Maori in the country, talks to increase Maori representation made sense.

Latest census figures show the region has the fourth-highest Maori population in the country, with an estimated 23,400 Maori living in Rotorua.

Mr Flavell said the Te Arawa Standing Committee was not working, and both iwi and council needed to work towards creating a new, more successful model. Meeting facilitator Leith Comer yesterday declined to comment on the hui and whether any decisions had yet been made.