Submission of Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi to the Local
Government Commission’s Draft Proposal for Northland
1. On 12 November 2013, the Local Government Commission published its draft proposal for local government reorganisation in Northland. The Commission has provided a period for submission that closes on 21 February 2014.
2. This is the official submission of Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi.
3. The Ngapuhi tribal domain extends to all three of the current districts of and beyond the Northland region and across the depth and breadth of the Auckland Council boundaries.
4. On the cusp of settlement of its historical grievances against the Crown for breaches against Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Ngapuhi is poised to become a significant, and possibly the single largest, corporate entity in Northland.
5. The relationship between Northland local government and Ngapuhi has far-reaching implications for the prosperity of Northland. Post-settlement, this relationship will be crucial, not only for local government but also for the Crown as it contemplates settlement durability and commitments to Ngapuhi.
6. The proposal for local government reorganisation has presented an unprecedented and likely not-to-be-repeated opportunity to forge a relationship between iwi and local government that will shape and drive Northland’s future success.
7. These are times for futuristic thinking and courageous leadership; not maintenance of the antediluvian approach that has, since the inception of local government in Northland, ensured the marginalisation of Ngapuhi within its own tribal domain.
8. Therefore, Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi has given much consideration to the Commission’s draft proposal. In December 2013, the Runanga considered an analysis of the draft proposal and discussed the options and issues arising therefrom. In reviewing in detail the Commission’s draft proposal, the Runanga also considered:
· The history of local government in Northland
· The legislation that enables reorganisation of the type being contemplated
· The proposed Local Government Amendment Act 2002 Amendment Bill (hereinafter referred to as “current legislative reforms”)
· Insofar as the principles contained therein impact upon the possibilities for the
establishment of an independent Maori statutory board in Northland, the
relatively recently released Cabinet papers that deal with the matters of:
o Local boards outside of Auckland; and,
o Efficient delivery and governance of local authority services
· The Far North District Council’s application to become a unitary authority (hereinafter referred to as “the originating application”)
· Commentary on the forty-one responses to the Commission’s invitation for alternative proposals
· The subsequent options that were identified by the Commission
• The Commission’s rationale for its draft proposal
· The remaining steps in the Northland local government reorganisation process
9. As can be seen from the above, the Runanga’s submission is not the result of whim; neither is it a knee-jerk default to opposition.
10. In its delineation of but four detailed points, the Runanga’s submission is not to be mistaken as a work of generality or glibness. Rather, it is well informed, deliberated and focused.
11. Rationale for and details of the submission are discussed more fully hereafter, and are summarised as follows:
· The establishment of a single unitary authority, with a second tier of empowered boards, replacing the current councils is supported;
· An independent Maori statutory board, not a standing committee, is the correct co-governance arrangement with the new council;
· The Maori Board must be enabled to appoint two members to each of the new council’s committees;
· From a list of nominees selected and approved by Northland iwi, the
Commission shall appoint an independent co-chair to the transition board.
12. It is acknowledged that Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi’s support for a single Unitary Authority differs from its earlier position, which was to support the Far North District Council’s originating application for two unitary authorities across Northland. Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngapuhi reserves the right to revert to its earlier position in the event the Commission’s final proposal does not reflect the Runanga’s submitted modifications to the draft proposal.
(In order to preserve the original formatting the whole proposal is attached below as a file including the analysis