Draft Local Authorities Standing Orders – Another Example Of Political Correctness Gone Mad

Special Privileges On Basis Of Race - Peters

The Rt Hon Winston Peters MP, Leader of New Zealand First, today said that, just one day after the Prime Minister’s assurances of fairness in the Government’s treatment of the public, another example has emerged as evidence that these assurances are meaningless.

“The Draft Model Standing Orders for Meetings of Local Authorities and Community Boards gives special rights to Maori – while giving no such rights to general members of the public.

“As set out under Standing Order 36.1 members of the general public are permitted to speak for a maximum of three minutes. In comparison, and under Standing Order 39.4, Tangata Whenua have the right to address any meeting of a local authority committee or subcommittee for a maximum period of 15 minutes on any items. As this right is in addition and separate from those rights of public comments available to the Tangata Whenua in terms of Standing Order 36.1, this means Tangata Whenua have the right to speak for 18 minutes, or multiples of 18 minutes if more than one Tangata Whenua representative group is present, compared to the 3 minutes allowed for other members of the general public.

“Further, Standing Order 36.1 states that thirty minutes is set aside for public comment. Thus, with these time constraints, there is no automatic right given to members of the general public to speak but under Standing Order 39.3 there are no similar restrictions on the speaking rights of Tangata Whenua,” said Mr Peters.
Mr Peters said that this was just another example of political correctness gone mad – giving one race privileges that are not extended to other members of the general public.

“The public have had enough of this sort of preferential treatment which is causing increasing resentment and division between Maori and non Maori and harming the state of race relations in New Zealand,” said Mr Peters.

ENDS

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