LEN BROWN - ONE TERM MAYOR

The funding debacle surrounding the Maori Statutory Board for the Auckland Super City is a long way off being resolved.

So far Len Brown and local body administration newbie CEO Doug McKay have made a pigs arse out of the first few months in power.

McKays reputation in the Seafood industry when he was the head of the Maori fisheries Juggernaut - Sealords, was patchy. 

And now he is looking especially vulnerable - as he was central to sorting out the funding issues for the board, not so ably assisted by consultant Angus Davidson. The same Angus Davidson, we wonder who used to run the Pork Board?

So it seems the two boys who know a lot about booze, pigs and fish are having a few problems dealing with Maori.

We predict that none of this is going to play out nicely. Maori acted in good faith with the Council administration to decide on a budget that they believed fitted their needs.

That they managed to secure themselves the equivalent of a Rolls Royce, when all they needed was a Toyota Camry, says quite a bit about their financial and negotiation skills.

In fact, one would have to consider that they may have more ability in running Auckland than a bloke who knows a bit about fish and booze assisted by another bloke who has huge expertise in pigs. Add to that a Mayor who is just plain slap happy and you are not going to get a happy ending. In fact it looks a bit like Dumb and Dumber assisted by Mr Bean.

So we don't think that the Maori Board deserves the opprobrium that is being heaped on them from the media and the Super City Council. To date, the Maori fellas have shown themselves to be way smarter than anyone else involved in this issue and they have acted with dignity and good grace.

We wonder if it was instead - say a enterprise advisory board to the council - instead of a bunch of what are percieved to be "uppity brown people" - would the issue would have ever got this far and stirred up such anti Maori sentiment?

We do think however, that the Maori statutory board is a complete crock. Maori are quite capable of getting to the ballot box and organising decent candidates for an election as they have shown with the formation of the Maori Party.

All the Auckland Super City really needed was a small advisory board of 5 that could input on specific cultural issues.

But that's not what happened and its not the fault of Maori that they negotiated a really good deal with a bunch of naive dorks.

So today the Maori Board takes the matter to court. They might just win. After all the did a deal in good faith and the Council welched on that deal.

Crikey sounds a bit like something that happened around 1840....

TARIANA TURIA SOUND ON PROPERTY RIGHTS.

We see with interest that Tariana Turia understands that the Foreshore and Seabed issue can only be settled with an acknowledgement of property rights and due process through the courts.

Pita Sharples, it seems prefers the so called " communist solution."

Dr Sharples said Maori did not have a concept of ownership prior to Pakeha arriving in New Zealand. Maori saw themselves as guardians and caretakers of the foreshore and this was eliminated by the Act.

"I don't really know whether ownership is the right solution for New Zealand," he said. "I think the way it's heading at the moment is a form of co-management."

Dr Sharples said he didn't think the idea of keeping the foreshore in Crown ownership was acceptable.

"I think what iwi do prefer is that we have a kind of tikanga title, that we actually keep the mana that our ancestors had before."

However Tariana appears to favour the right for Maori to establish their property right through the courts.

Mrs Turia says the Maori Party does not support the concept of no ownership.

"I think that what people have talked about with the foreshore and seabed is this is an issue of justice. I still believe it's an issue of justice and should be treated as such."

She says her preference would be for Maori to be able to go to court or enter into direct negotiations with the Crown.

This is shaping up to be a philisophical split in the Maori Party. It will add another layer of difficulty for the government in brokering an acceptable solution.

Interesting that Turia seems to be echoing the thinking of commentator Matthew Hooton.

HOME IS CALLING

We got all teary eyed when we saw this in the Press today..
the Annual Maori vs Pakeha Rugby match on Stewart Island.

Its a great game and race relations is always a winner on the day.
We have been to a couple of these matches and even a few more after match functions over the years. Stewart Island is a good place to live if you are a Maori or a pakeha. Life, for the most part, is pretty harmonious.

And despite having respect for each other - they still take the piss.

It would be a better place to celebrate Waitangi Day. It's a melting pot - a good example of what we have become as a nation.

And the Kai there is waaay better than anywhere else.

Paua, mussels, White tail venison, Crayfish, muttonbirds, fab veges, salmon, - the list goes on.

Damn its makin us homesick again for the Land of the Glowing Skies.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF FORESHORE AND SEABED ISSUE

This is a very considered analysis on what is happening with the Foreshore and Seabed issue. It should be required reading for all policy makers, tribal leaders lawmakers and politicians - indeed anyone who is seeking clarity on this issue which has the potential to define race relations in NZ.

If you have difficulty reading the document you will find it here

EQ Summer 2010

McCULLY NEEDS TO DISESTABLISH RACE RELATIONS OFFICE

As a country we are pretty grown up when it comes to Race relations - Joris de Bres is a dick. McCully has our vote to woop his arse. He went over to the UN Anti Racism conference under his own steam, (some one needs to find out who sponsored his trip) but pontificates as the Race Relations Conciliator. Bad Bad form.

So its time for him to go. enough of his PC crap. Scrap the office - we don't need it any more.