Really solid call, and timely comments about the divisive politics being imported from America at the moment.

  • David Palmer@lemmy.nzOP
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    1 year ago

    Who currently gets to decide what counts as “unreasonable”? What if it’s the council appointees who are being unreasonable?

    I’m fine with iwi having some veto power. If a project involves building a septic tank on an urupā or draining a wāhi tapu wetland why shouldn’t iwi have the power to stop it?

    • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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      1 year ago

      I mean, the council appointees are ultimately beholden to the voting public, so they get to decide what is and isn’t reasonable. And, in recent history, councils have been very eager to accommodate Iwi on these matters.

      They also have a very effective boycott in the form of protests, look at the case in Auckland for example.

      • David Palmer@lemmy.nzOP
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        1 year ago

        So your position is that iwi involvement in government is a good thing, but you think there is already enough of it?

          • David Palmer@lemmy.nzOP
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            1 year ago

            Ok, good to know. You’re entitled to that view.

            Earlier you said:

            And, in recent history, councils have been very eager to accommodate Iwi on these matters.

            Bearing in mind that the voting public in New Zealand is overwhelmingly not māori, what happens if a council is elected that is not eager to accommodate iwi? What happens if multiple anti-māori racists are elected to a council, scrap any iwi consultation and decide to do everything they can to run roughshod over tangata whenua?

            • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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              1 year ago

              I suspect they would be unable to do much at all, Iwi have shown a willingness to protest ferociously and with great effect in the last few decades, most notably the multiple successful occupations they have staged over the years.

              • David Palmer@lemmy.nzOP
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                1 year ago

                So rather than remedying the lack of indigenous representation that is forcing them to protest in the first place, we should just let them keep protesting in lieu of having a seat at the table?

                • Ilovethebomb@lemmy.nz
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                  1 year ago

                  The protests that were around the sale of land not owned or controlled by the central government, you mean?

    • Rangelus@lemmy.nz
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      1 year ago

      Even though this isn’t the case, I agree with you. Why shouldn’t they have a say?