Council Mismanages Maori Statutory Board for the Third Time

After a close 11-9 vote today, the Auckland Council went into confidentiality to discuss the Independent Maori Statutory Board funding agreement.

The nine councillors who voted for the matter to be discussed in open were Cameron Brewer, Cathy Casey, Christine Fletcher, Mike Lee, Des Morrison, Calum Penrose, Sharon Stewart, Sir John Walker, and George Wood.

“The public wanted to hear this debate. By all accounts the Maori Statutory Board did not insist on confidentiality, and there was no edict from the High Court, so it was hard to see who we were trying to protect. The only reason to now start discussing this issue in secret is political management,” says Cameron Brewer.

“Councillors were shut down on fully exercising their right to speak out on going into secrecy. I was the seconder of the motion to keep it on the open agenda in the Strategy & Finance Committee, yet I was prevented from the speaking. At a following meeting of full council, the Mayor pushed through the confidential motion so quickly, no one was given a chance to voice a contrary view. It was quite outrageous and a complete affront to democracy.

“This is the third time this matter has been mismanaged by the council leadership. First we had the $3.4m tick-off without consultation, then came the back-down to $1.9m on 14 February, and now we are having secret meetings to re-litigate it all again. What a mess and it’s just wrong when you consider its Aucklanders’ money. The public hates it.”

Mr Brewer today raised concerns that the negotiating team of councillors had no legal mandate from the Governing Body to be dealing with the things now being negotiated.

“On 14 February we voted for three councillors to work with IMSB on their work plan and budget for 2011/12. The Maori Statutory Board then went to the High Court. However a fresh mandate from the Governing Body for the working party and officials to work on a new deal has never been sought.

“There has never been one resolution passed by councillors for council to now start re re-negotiating its 14 February resolutions. Ignoring the previously-agreed council resolutions and position has been led by the officials without any political or public sign-off. There has been no political or public mandate for this secret work.

“This whole process has been wrong from the outset. No wonder Maori are getting so annoyed with the indignity of the constant u-turns from the council leadership,” says Cameron Brewer.

ENDS

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