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EXCERPTS FROM THE MAORI GOVERNMENT BILL Commissioned by PIRI WIRI TUA MOVEMENT. MAORI ASSEMBLY
- The six Maori seats and the General seats will still exist and can still be contested for by Maori.
- Based on current Maori census there will be four seats in the South Island and thirty six in the North Island. 40 Seats - 40 Wards created.
- A Maori president of the Assembly will be elected nationally
- The Assembly will be totally separate from cabinet and Parliament but will exist from a formal act of Parliament using its Legislative powers.
- Individuals not necessarily political party, Hapu or Iwi to contest for seats.
- The ASSEMBLY will stand along side Cabinet.
TASKS OF A MAORI ASSEMBLY
A Maori ASSEMBLY will have a variety of Tasks. These will include:-
- Exclusive control of Maori Affairs presently administered by State
- Administration of the Maori Land Court and the Maori Appellate court.
- Exclusive management of welfare services avaliable to Maori people.
- A role in the administration of Health and Education services provided by the state and in all state activities in which Maori have a direct interest.
- An automatic right of representation but not of voting at cabinet meetings this voting power still remains with elected Maori MPs.
- Power to vary the jurisdiction of the Maori courts, to determine methods of resolving conflict, and to provide for the application of Maori custom Law.
FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT
Montesquieu who influenced the form of the American constitution with its balance of power, suggested that government has 3 basic functions :
- Legislative
- Administrative
- Judicial
The above scenario would vest 2 out of 3 of these functions in a Maori ASSEMBLY.
Maori people would thus enjoy Administrative and Judicial autonomy. They could not have legislative power because as a minority group in democracy, the exercise of such a power would usher in the evils of aparthied and fascism. In addition, it would not be tolerated by the majority. H owever entrenched rights of representation on quangos would ensure that the Maori voice is heard in every aspect of administration. Legislative power must remain with Parliament, as it does in every democratic state. Never the less
Given the existence of a Maori ASSEMBLY, the voice of Maoridom can be heard in the council rooms of Parliament as that of a major and influential lobby group with built in access to the ears of Parliament.
HEKE (S) BILL.
It is now 102 years since Hone Heke introduced his Native Rights Bill to Parliament. Heke failed to obtain passage of the Bill. He had the support of Maori specifically the KOTAHITANGA movement. It was this Movement which was subsequently supported by the 3 Maori Knights when they were young members of Parliament. Heke failed in Parliament because the timing was wrong and because he did not have the support of pakeha settlers.
Today attitudes are different. A number of political indications suggest that pakeha support would be forthcoming if Maori sought a form of limited autonomy. This has already happened with Iwi providing and delivering economic and welfare packages to their people. The present indicators include attitudes expressed by the Prime Minister and by the Minister in charge of Treaty negotiations, and interest on the part of political parties in securing the goodwill of the Maori population in the lead up to a 2nd MMP
Election. Whether it has the support of Maori people has yet to be determined as they mull over their attitudes and with one MMP election over and a 3 yr Parliamentary term nearing completion, Maori need to look back at the performance of its Maori MPs. In introducing The MAORI GOVERNMENT BILL One issue is still of critical importance…….TIMING.
THE MAORI GOVERNMENT BILL is the Election Manifesto, the constitution on which the PIRI WIRI TUA MOVEMENT is founded and with this Kaupapa we enter the 1999 General Election. The Bill in its entirety will be revealed when we are in Parliament. The Welsh and the Scots waited 300 years……….. Vote our candidates in your electorate into the 6 Maori seats and we as a people NEED WAIT NO MORE.