Te Arawa discusses proposal

Leith Comer

Rotorua district councillors will have to wait another few weeks before they know what position Te Arawa will take on a controversial new proposal which could give the iwi a stronger voice on council.

Members of Te Arawa organisations met yesterday in the Rotorua District Council Chamber to discuss a proposal to form a new Te Arawa board to replace the council's Te Arawa Standing Committee.

The proposal's author, Auckland-based solicitor Tama Hovell, took those in attendance through the proposal while collecting feedback to present to the council in the coming weeks.

Meeting facilitator Leith Comer said the hui was well-attended and there was genuine interest in how Te Arawa could work better with the council in the future.

"There was a great deal of interest about how this is being done in other places.

"Another hui is set down for May 25 with the rest of the iwi."

The new board could be in place by July. It would be separate from the council and would allow members to sit on council committees, be part of Resource Management Act decisions and establish its own sub-committees.

District councillor Mike McVicker has opposed the proposal from the start saying it was undemocratic and gave race-based privilege to Maori.

"I have to say that I have been overwhelmed with the response I have received to date from both Rotorua citizens and from around the country.

"A great example of this huge groundswell of public opinion is the poll that the Rotorua Daily Post ran where some 597 people voted with 78 per cent against.

"Does that not spell out a pretty clear message to my council colleagues?"

"Assuming that Te Arawa take up the proposal of race-based privileges, we will then need to proceed with a petition to council to hold a referendum and resolve this issue once and for all.

"Clearly we have a challenge to representational democracy here in Rotorua and I would urge everyone to make a stand," Mr McVicker said.