Dear Editor
It seems several Northland councils have foolishly opted to consider race-based Maori wards.
I suspect most Councillors elected for geographic wards are genuinely motivated primarily to advance the interests of their mixed voters. In any case, they need to do this to be re-elected. The Maori wards are entirely different. For many, the paid role of Councillor is a very attractive employment option. It also provides inside information of council intentions, local developments etc, many of which likely provide a basis for exploitation by iwi.
Maori are very motivated to get re-selected and re-elected. To achieve this they have to raise their mana among Maori. In today’s separatist climate, the surest and simplest way to elevate mana is to challenge Pakeha in very visible ways. There is little motivation to contribute positively to other initiatives. Instead, there is every motivation to obstruct and confront and thereby attract attention. From my observations, in Auckland, this attitude has become very plainly evident in the management practice of the local Maori operated Maunga Authority.
Maori will struggle to find positive topics where interests of Maori are not adequately encompassed by general Council actions. To justify their existence wards will likely pursue high profile non productive policies like Maori names everywhere and for everything. A huge expense and source of confusion and inefficiency.
Few councillors have opposed the establishment of race-based wards as they realise that to do so would attract mindless online taunts of racism and harassment and make their lives uncomfortable. But someone needs to recognise principle and display courage.
Like the Maori parliamentary seats the ward positions, despite being not in keeping with the original Treaty, will prove near impossible to eliminate. Meanwhile the Maori academic and political elite will likely feed ward members a constant stream of provocative negative time-wasting issues to exploit for a raised profile.
RNZ is constantly searching for Maori content and any news conflict generated by Maori within Councils is seized upon and given wide publicity, encouraging further similar discord. The time-wasting complications and conflict inherent with race-based Maori wards are best avoided by not adopting them in the first place.
Maori possessed of real ability and motivated to act in the good interests of all, have excellent prospects of being elected for conventional wards as equal citizens under the Treaty.
The fact that some wards operate now with apparent harmony is not an indicator of future prospects. Until well established throughout the country, restraint is very prudent. Whereas other councillors throughout the country function independently Maori tend to maintain through family connections, kapahaka social grouping, marae interaction, Maori academics and other activists, a close liaison amongst themselves. This facilitates an approach united throughout the country and enables planning to avoid excess premature action. If and when Maori wards become widely established, extreme confrontational self interest race based action will then likely become more the norm.
Regards
Robert Arthur
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