Richard Prebble: What Labour should be concentrating on in Rotorua

What is driving the co-governance agenda in Rotorua, according to an ex-MP. Photo / NZME

Opinion

OPINION:

Last week only one issue was so urgent that a select committee needed to meet in Parliament's recess. The Māori Affairs Select Committee met to consider the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangement) Bill. In my opinion the purpose of the bill is to reduce the value of my vote.

The bill proposes, among other things, to create a Māori ward and a general ward both electing three councillors. There are 21,700 voters on the Māori roll and 55,600 voters on the general roll. My vote will be worth 39 per cent of a vote in the Māori ward.

Parliament regards just six provisions as so important for democracy that they can be only changed by the vote of 75 per cent in parliament or by a majority in a referendum. One such provision is clause 36 of the Electoral Act that guarantees everyone, regardless of race, has an equal vote.

The Attorney-General has advised parliament that "the Bill appears to limit the right to be free from discrimination affirmed in s 19 of the Bill of Rights Act and cannot be justified under s 5 of that Act".

The principle of all votes having equal value is in the Local Government Act. The non-political Local Government Commission advised the council how to set up wards that are proportional. The council rejected the decision.

Mayor Steve Chadwick has given three reasons.

First, "the Community wants it". No referendum or poll suggests the voters of Rotorua want unequal votes.

Second, "Te Tiriti o Waitangi". It is a radical interpretation of the Treaty to claim it means Māori votes should be worth more. If parliament accepts the mayor's proposition it follows Māori should have greater voting rights in every election.

Third, "the spirit and intent of the Rotorua Township (Fenton) Agreement". Te Arawa made generous land donations to establish the town. The mayor is claiming this donation means Māori have the right to co-govern the district forever. It ignores the assistance Rotorua receives from central government starting with the rebuilding of the town after the Tarawera eruption. It is the reason the park in the city is called the Government Gardens.

The mayor is ignoring no taxation without representation. The general roll voters provide most of the council's rates. Why should we pay rates if we do not get an equal say in how our rates are spent?

Labour, Green and Māori Party MPs voted for this Bill. The Minister of Māori Development Willie Jackson says democracy in 2022 is broader and more expansive than just one person, one vote. He confirmed it is Labour's agenda to expand co-governance. Jackson says we have nothing to fear. I say be very afraid.

For 18 years as MP for Auckland Central I introduced all the local Bills for Auckland. To avoid party politics, the convention is the MP representing the headquarters of a local body is always in charge of a local Bill.

If I had been asked to present this Bill I would have told the council it is an abuse of parliament's procedure to change a fundamental democratic right by way of a local bill. I would have presented the bill, set out the council's case and then advised parliament to vote no.

At the urging of Chadwick, a former Labour MP, the council asked Tamati Coffey, a Labour list MP to be in charge of the bill. Coffey has been twice defeated in elections by the locals. He cannot claim to represent Rotorua.

Labour list MP Tamati Coffey. Photo / Andrew Warner

Local Bills are usually referred to the Governance and Administration Committee, which has some expertise in local government. Coffey has abused his power as the member in charge to instead nominate the Māori Affairs Committee which he chairs. Then he has tried to race it through.

The Bill is full of anomalies. I have neighbours on the Māori roll who are not Te Arawa. Their vote will be greater than mine. There are Māori who have exercised their right to be on the general roll. The value of their vote is to be reduced.

Today Māori are well represented on the council. Māori wards may reduce Māori representation. Labour cannot admit that in Rotorua Māori wards are not needed because their real agenda is co-governance.

Having unequal voting will not solve Rotorua's real issues. Here is one. The Labour government has filled our motels with the homeless from all over the Central North Island. There are enough children in our motels to fill a primary school. Borders are reopening. Where are Rotorua's tourists to stay?

• An earlier version of this column incorrectly stated Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick used her casting vote to propose the bill. No casting vote was used.