Councillors up and down NZ failing to push back on co-governance

ACT is calling on local and regional councillors to push back against a proliferation of co-governance arrangements at the local level.

“Up and down New Zealand, councils continue to advance arrangements that entrench iwi roles in governance structures and decision-making,” says ACT Local Government spokesperson Cameron Luxton.

“Recently we’ve seen co-governance or special consultation proposals at Otago Regional Council, New Plymouth District Council, Tasman District Council, Taupō District Council, Kāpiti Coast District Council, and in the Central Districts Water governance framework.

“We have seen some push-back – from ACT Local councillors.

“At Otago Regional Council, councillor Robbie Byars stood up to oppose mana whenua membership in the proposed governance structure and argued voting membership should be confined to elected representatives.

“At New Plymouth District Council, councillor Damon Fox pushed for scrutiny of the proposed Puketapu Hapū service level agreement and argued ratepayer-funded arrangements should be carefully tested.

“ACT’s position is that democratic decision-making should remain accountable to voters. Councillors facing co-governance proposals should ask whether any proposed structure is legally required, legally permitted, or simply a policy choice. Where councils believe a proposal is required, they should identify the exact statutory provision. Where it is not required, they should be honest that it is a policy decision, motivated either by ideology or pressure campaigns from iwi.

“Māori and mana whenua are already represented on councils via the standard democratic process. And councils are free to talk to iwi groups just as they can talk to any other interest groups – they don’t need to restructure themselves to give a privileged position to one group.

“ACT continues to oppose voting rights for unelected local government appointees. I have drafted a member’s bill to make this position the law of the land under the Local Government Act. ACT would like to see this bill made Government policy."