A new government usually means changes to laws, and we have seen this aplenty since the Coalition Government came to power. Having set a government record for laws passed under urgency in its first 100 days, the government is busy on its next action plan, spanning from 1 April until 30 June. This plan is available by clicking HERE. It is disappointing to find that promised changes to the Marine and Coastal Area Act are not on this list. In the meantime, more of New Zealand’s coastline is being awarded to claimant groups. In another shock decision, Justice Cheryl Gwyn...

Welcome to the first edition of our newsletter for 2024. It has been a very busy start to the year, beginning with the launching of our ‘We Stand With You’ campaign, both on social media and full page advertisements in the NZ Herald and the Northern Advocate in the lead up to Waitangi Day. Thank you to all who sent messages of support to the coalition leaders as they faced vociferous opposition to the introduction of policies they campaigned on and were voted in to implement. Please continue to send messages of encouragement to Mr. Luxon, Mr. Seymour, and Mr....

Season’s greetings to you! In this last update of the year, we would like to say a big thank you to all who have supported us and taken action yourselves over the year. We’ve worked hard, and those efforts have paid off. The good news is that we now have in parliament people who are willing to implement policies to overturn divisive ideology that is tearing our beloved country apart. However, now is not a time for complacency. The new government needs all our support in the face of a belligerent and vociferous attack from those opposed to the new government’s...

I am very pleased to report that the glimmer of hope for the restoration of the fundamental principles of democracy and the equality of citizenship has turned into a ray of sunshine! The incoming Government has released their coalition agreement which, if the parties stay true to their word, will make a significant contribution towards delivering the real change many of us voted for. National, Act and NZ First have committed to a policy programme that will go a long way to restore democracy in the many areas where it has been eroded. The coalition agreement includes the following policies...

As a result of the election, I hope you share with us a glimmer of hope for our country, which has been suffering under a government showing no respect New Zealand’s core values of freedom, democracy, and equal rights. There sure is plenty for the new government to unpack to restore the fundamental principles of democracy and the concept of equal citizenship, long accepted as the key to successful human society. Our job now is to hold the politicians to account for the promises they made - especially those concerning democracy, co-government, and equal rights. We have put together a...

How many times have you recently heard the comments: “This is the most important election of our lifetime,” and “There’s a lot at stake in this year’s election”? Or uttered them yourself? There is no doubt many New Zealanders are feeling very uneasy about the direction our country is taking. Democracy depends on the guarantee of equal rights under law and freedom from discrimination for all individuals in a society. But under the current government’s divisive laws, we are on a downward spiral towards two standards of citizenship with different rights depending on our ancestry. We are very fortunate to...

One thing we can be sure of about the Labour government is its dogged determination to pursue its “partnership” agenda — also known as “co-governance”. Right up to the end of this term the government continues to implement undemocratic arrangements, such as the recently released Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan. Under this Plan, Crown agencies are to manage the Hauraki Gulf fisheries in partnership with ‘tangata whenua.’ To read more on this issue, see the commentary below - ‘HAURAKI GULF FISHERIES UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT’ Let’s make no bones about it, NZ’s democracy is teetering on the brink of an abyss. Given the...

Please see below a press release we sent out earlier this week: ‘Auckland Council downplays role of IMSB in Māori seats consultation’. Auckland Council is currently seeking feedback on their proposal to introduce Māori seats. These seats allow for dedicated Māori representation on the Council, including on the Governing Body. As well as gauging support for this proposal, the Council is asking for feedback on how the seats should be filled - by election, or by a combination of election and appointment. People of Auckland - please take this opportunity to say whether you want the council to introduce Māori...

Many of us made submissions on the Future for Local Government Review earlier this year - thank you to all who did so. During the process, some submitters expressed their unease about the Review’s "Transparency and Moderation Statement", which warned of an intention to exclude any submissions it deemed "racist," "discriminatory," or "insulting" from being published. Once the Review was finished the Free Speech Union OIA'ed them for any redacted submissions, reporting that their (and our) worst fears were realised. Nearly 10% of unique submissions were moderated and excluded because they were deemed to violate the moderation policy. Definitions like...

There are only 100 days until the election on 14 October. I believe this is one of the most crucial elections New Zealand has ever faced. We are at a crossroads - we have a chance to choose better than a government that continues to ram through significant constitutional changes without our consent - changes that are resulting in the undermining of our democracy and our right to be treated as equal citizens. It is time we collectively say enough is enough!  This is no time to watch from the sidelines - now is the time to act! Please get...

Here we are, just four months out from the election, and the government still insists on plying the country with its democracy destroying co-governance agenda. Despite Chris Hipkins signaling a reset of government policy when he became Prime Minister - including a co-governance slowdown - every piece of legislation, every policy emanating from this government embeds further the concept of a partnership between the Crown and Māori. This even extends to New Zealand’s space policy. (No, the sky is not the limit as far as this ideology is concerned!). The partnership obligation the government is signing us up to includes...

As we head towards the 2023 General Election, one topic that is set to feature prominently in debates is the controversial issue of co-governance. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins insists that many voters are suspicious of co-governance only because politicians haven’t explained the concept clearly. You have that wrong, Mr. Hipkins - the strong opposition is because many of us are only too aware of the implications of co-governance. We are very awake to this radical separatist agenda which is overturning our democracy with significant changes to our constitutional arrangements for which the peoples’ agreement has never been sought. This month we...

Back in December, when decline in support for Labour was reflected in opinion polls, the Government implied that co-governance work would be put on the backburner, and that the Human Rights Commission was to stop work on the controversial He Puapua report. We now see that the Government was being less than honest, as work in these areas continues - full steam ahead! This is apparent in the proposed RMA replacement legislation currently before parliament, and with the move by the Human Rights Commission to partner with the National Iwi Chairs’ Forum. It appears the Commission has become a front...

Season’s greetings to you. Thank goodness Christmas and summer holidays are just around the corner! However, we haven't yet taken the foot off the pedal just yet. We are currently endeavouring to get our heads around the implications of the resource management law replacement. The first two of three bills – the Natural and Built Environment Bill and the Spatial Planning Bill - were introduced to parliament on 15 November. They collectively run to 891 pages! The Government once again shows its disdain for local bodies and the public, this time by introducing such lengthy and complicated legislation not long...

In a last-ditch effort to stop the Water Services Entities Bill, today I am asking you to let the Government know there is still strong public opposition to the bill. We ask that you take a few minutes out of your day today to take a stand on this vital issue by sending an email to Labour and Green MPs to demand the bill be withdrawn. A list of email addresses for you to copy and paste is available at the end of this email. I know many of us have already submitted on this bill. I wish I could...

We want to thank the thousands of people who heeded our call and sent a submission on the Department of Conservation’s Hauraki Gulf marine protection proposals. Taking such action is so important, as the powers-that-be are likely to take silence as consent. The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries and the Minister of Conservation say they will consider our feedback before making final decisions and progressing with the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill. See Marine Protection Secondary to ‘Customary Rights’ below for more information, including our reasons for concern. While Rebecca Kitteridge, the head of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, is exhorting...

For several years we have been subjected to a sizeable chunk of the media happy to give a voice to those who are misrepresenting the Treaty of Waitangi, re-writing our history, and allowing ill-informed and damaging assertions to go unchallenged. One of the latest in a long line of ignorant comments concerns the Tohunga Suppression Act of 1907, for which Māori Party MP Rawiri Waititi has blamed colonisation. However, it was Māori leaders themselves who pushed for this law. For the facts, read Graham Adams well-researched commentary Did Pakeha really crush traditional Māori medicine? posted on The Platform. Graham’s article...

In this month's update I would like to bring your attention to the ‘Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media Bill’ currently before parliament. This legislation combines RNZ and TVNZ into a new public media entity. An independent media, free of government influence, is extremely important - it's a cornerstone of our democracy. However, this legislation would make it much easier for governments to succumb to the temptation to exert political influence over public media. The current government has made it only too obvious that they are willing to do just this, with the $55 million-dollar Public Journalism Fund given on the condition...

Are you looking for something interesting to listen to on these cold, wet winter days? I would like to bring your attention to a couple of video recordings I highly recommend you take the time to watch. One is by Professor Elizabeth Rata of the University of Auckland, who gave a well thought out and reasoned presentation ‘In Defence of Democracy’ at the New Zealand ACT Party Annual Conference last month. Elizabeth contends that the country is at a crossroads, and unless we all speak out, and continue to do so, we will lose our hard-fought democratic rights. Click HERE...

We have exciting news – earlier this year we commissioned Professor James Allan, Garrick Professor in Law at the University of Queensland, and constitutional law expert, to write an analysis of the He Puapua Report, the likely implications for New Zealand’s democracy and what this could mean for the people of New Zealand. The release of his report will coincide with his speaking tour of NZ the week beginning 20 June. These public meetings will be held in Auckland on June 21 (at the Ellerslie Racecourse Event Centre), Wellington on June 22, and Christchurch on June 23. Please gather your friends...

There is so much going on at the moment. Our democracy is under attack from so many quarters, I hardly know where to begin! But let’s start with the good news – the highly controversial Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill has been halted after it faced scrutiny from Attorney-General David Parker, who said it presented an unjustified disadvantage to non-Māori and moved Rotorua away from proportional representation at its council. No kidding, Mr Parker. Thank you so much to everyone who contributed to the deluge of public submissions, and to those who put their hand up present to the...

Just a few short years ago, Dr John Robinson wrote the commentary ‘Drifting into Racism’, which warned of the upcoming destruction of New Zealand’s social structure. It has only been four years since it was first published, and yet in that time, the ‘drift’ has turned into a full-blown gallop! An example of this is the debasing of democratic rights in the Rotorua District Council (Representation Arrangements) Bill, currently before the Māori Affairs Committee. This Bill seeks a major change to the Rotorua Council's representation arrangements, overturning the fundamental democratic principle of one person, one vote, each of equal value. The...

Do you remember back in 2013, when the Government of the day undertook a constitutional review? This review featured the role of the Treaty of Waitangi and Māori representation in Parliament and local government. Feedback from around the country was such that the Review Panel concluded there was no widespread support for constitutional change, and recommended that any significant steps in a constitutional journey only be taken following appropriate public participation and deliberation. However, both central and local governments are disregarding this recommendation as they forge ahead with significant constitutional change - doing so without seeking a mandate from the...

Welcome to our latest update!  First off, thank you so much to all who made submissions on the Draft Auckland Regional Parks Management Plan. I don’t know how many made personal submissions, but I do know that 4,281 form submissions were sent via the "Hands Off Our Parks" website submission-making tool. We have been assured by an Auckland Council officer that each submission will be counted separately.  Thank you also to those who made submissions on the Environment Canterbury Ngāi Tahu Representation Bill. Oral submissions were heard by the Māori Affairs Committee last week – and those who watched the...

Happy New Year to you! I hope you had an enjoyable and restful holiday break and are now raring to go. Our democracy is facing threats we haven’t seen before, and we need your help. Forcing the Government to back down in its headlong rush to dismantle our democracy and entrench a race-based system is going to take people power – and lots of it!  The summer break has ended abruptly with the knowledge that there are only 9 days left to make a submission on the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill. This Bill is a second attempt to entrench...

Season’s greetings to you! Thank goodness Christmas and summer holidays are just around the corner. However, we haven't taken our foot off the pedal just yet. Here’s another newsletter updating some of the current issues of concern, with suggestions of actions you can take to help. This includes a reminder of the fast-approaching deadline to have your say on the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Bill. There are only two days left to do so – the submission process closes at 11:59 pm on Thursday 9 December.  Under this legislation the government is to establish a racially segregated health system, co-governed...

As predicted in last month’s newsletter, Mahuta’s jackboots have made a re-appearance, this time squashing another Labour 2020 election promise - to wit: “Labour will ensure the major decisions about local democracy involve full participation of the local population from the outset.” In the decision to mandate its Three Waters reforms through legislation, the government has trampled on the mana of the vast majority of councils who have given this policy a big thumbs down. The anger expressed by many councillors is fully justified. Please see Outrage at power grab - “a dark day for democracy” for more on this issue,...

When the Prime Minister first took office in 2017, she promised that “This government will foster a more open and democratic society. It will strengthen transparency around official information.” However, it is obvious her Minister of Local Government did not receive the memo. This is being shown by the less than transparent way the proposed Three Waters service delivery programme is being handled by the Government. Councillors across the country are complaining of false and misleading information, mixed messaging, information gaps, and far too many unanswered questions. Although not obliged to make the final decision whether to opt-out of the scheme...

I hope this update finds you well, safe in your bubble, and managing these difficult times – once again. Let's all hope that the lockdown levels move quickly, and we can all focus on the future again soon. I doubt that the Covid lockdown has slackened the pace of the Government’s plan to amalgamate the water operations of 67 councils around the country into four mega-entities. This is despite more and more Councils expressing concern not only at the content of the reform, but also at the alarming rate at which it is being pushed. In a statement from a...

It takes a lot to get middle New Zealand riled up enough to protest, but the Groundswell movement has tapped into discontent with the Government over a raft of issues. The organisers were blown away by the overwhelming support they received for their ‘Howl of Protest’ action, and very pleased by the reportedly unprecedented turnouts in 55 towns and cities across the country - it is estimated 30-40 thousand people, with their tractors, utes, and dogs, hit the streets nationwide. This is no mean feat - congratulations to all involved! One issue causing concern involves recommendations in the He Puapua report....

Reading the Government's press release ‘Social Cohesion Programme To Address Incitement Of Hatred And Discrimination’, which heralds the proposed changes to the so-called ‘hate speech’ legislation, I thought we must be in Wonderland, having joined Alice in falling through the rabbit hole into a fantasy world. Our country is increasingly awash with policies that entrench racial separatism, promoting division and discord, and undermining democracy - and yet this Government speaks of social cohesion! Is there not at least an inkling within government of how hypocritical this is? The Government is forging ahead with policies that are destroying the unity of...

Have you heard that close to 5000 submissions have been made on the Education Ministry's draft ‘so-called’ history syllabus? Thank you to all who did so. It is obvious that many of us are very passionate about what is to be taught to our children, as we should be. I have been privileged to read several very impressive, thoughtful, and insightful submissions, one of which I would like to share with you today. Written by  Elizabeth Rata, a sociologist of education and a professor of 'Critical Studies in Education' at the University of Auckland, it sets out succinctly what the...

I am sending you this brief note to remind you that the opportunity to have a say on the Aotearoa New Zealand’s Histories in the New Zealand Curriculum runs out in six days’ time. Consultation closes on Monday 31 May. For those who have already made a submission, thank you. For those who have not yet please see HERE for a brief submission which you are invited to use, either partially or in its entirety. Or you can use the more substantial submission we sent last week. If you do not want to go to the trouble of making a...

I am writing to encourage you to have your say on the draft ‘Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories curriculum' which is currently open for public feedback. You have until 31 May to make a submission. The details can be found HERE. See further below for a draft submission you are welcome to use. The Ministry of Education has been tasked with creating a new curriculum to “span the full range of New Zealanders’ experiences… with contemporary issues directly linked to major events of the past.” However, the curriculum has eschewed this brief – instead, our history is to be seen through the...

It is obvious from feedback we have been receiving lately that more and more people are becoming disillusioned, frustrated and angry about the direction the Government is taking our country. It seems like every other day another decree is declared that is creating an “us” and “them” society where divisions are ethnic. It appears we are fast becoming a divided and resentful people - most certainly not the team of 5 million, as Prime Minister Ardern so eagerly claims. Our politicians are letting us down – both locally and nationally. Too many have swallowed ‘the Treaty is a partnership’ Kool-Aid....

I am saddened to report that the damage to our democracy is gathering speed. Recently we came across a copy of the Government’s Local Government and Iwi/hapū engagement document the Three Waters Reform Programme Local Government and Iwi/hapū engagement, March 2021. This document was the basis of a series of workshops held for Local Government and Iwi/hapu throughout the month of March. You will note that the general public has been excluded from this conversation – thereby failing to acknowledge that all people have a vested interest in water - this vital essence of all life. The proposed models for...

A big thank you to all who made submissions on the Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Bill. It was a mad last-minute scramble, given that the public were given just two days to do so. Despite the disgracefully short time frame there were over 12,000 submissions on the bill - of which 76 per cent were opposed. This was a sham consultation process, making a mockery of Labour’s promise at the last election to ensure that major decisions about local democracy involve full participation of the local population from the outset. Yeah, right!! Changing the law will...

Happy New Year to you! I hope you have had the chance to rest, relax and enjoy the sun. The summer break has ended abruptly with the shocking announcement that the government will not be honouring a democratic process currently underway. The Minister of Local Government, Nanaia Mahuta, is working under urgency to abolish a law that allows local referendums to veto decisions by councils to establish Māori wards. The move will be made in time for the 2022 local body elections, and means decisions made by nine councils to establish Māori wards for that election cannot be overturned by...

Just like that December is here and another year passes us by - this one a particularly challenging one which I am sure we would not like to repeat anytime soon! We at Democracy Action have not taken our foot off the pedal just yet – here is another newsletter updating some of the most concerning issues, with suggestions of actions you can take to help. This includes an initiative we are about to launch requesting a legislation amendment that would require any local authorities proposing constitutional changes, including the creation of Maori wards, to initiate a binding referendum of...

You may have noticed over these past couple of months reports of an increasing number of local bodies giving in to the strident demands of iwi agitating for designated Māori wards. Nine councils have recently caved into these demands without seeking a mandate from their communities. They are: Tauranga, New Plymouth, Kaipara, Whangārei, South Taranaki, Ruapehu, Gisborne, Taupō, and Northland Regional Council. They do so despite poll after poll showing, overwhelmingly, New Zealanders do not want our communities to be divided by race.  Of those listed above, Gisborne was the only council to consult with the public before making a...

This month sees the Ministry of Education begin to roll out a radical programme, designed in partnership with Māori, to indigenise and ‘decolonise’ all parts of the education system. Te Hurihanganui is a blueprint to guide a structural and cultural shift in education, and the community. It reads like a totalitarian manifesto, with its mention of ‘change and thought leaders’ working to implement the plan. And “Leaders test models of good practice and apply critical consciousness and kaupapa Māori to disrupt the status quo and affect change. Leaders hold the line on change through the disruption”. Forewarned is forearmed -...

Welcome to the June 2020 edition of the Democracy Action newsletter. We hope you, your family and friends all survived the Covid-19 lockdown in good health, and are not suffering the ill-effects of the economic fallout - as sadly many, many people are. With life returning to some sort of normality in New Zealand, at least for some of us, its time to get back into it. The Democracy Action working group held its regular meeting on Monday 8th June - it being the first chance after lockdown for members to discuss key issues face-to-face, and assign tasks in response...

Welcome to the latest Democracy Action Update. In this issue we are urging you to write personal emails to our elected leaders and the Police Commissioner, calling on them to have the illegal roadblocks shut down.

Welcome to the latest Democracy Action Update. In this issue I am suggesting you consider having your say on the Taumata Arowai—the Water Services Regulator Bill, which is open for submissions until March 4th. (I know, I know - not another &#%! request to send a submission!)  It is obvious the government is using its time in power to implement as much legislation as it can, hence the Bills are coming thick and fast. Essentially this Bill establishes a new water regulator along with an associated special interest group – a Maori advisory group.  To add to our understanding of...

Happy New Year to you! I hope you had an enjoyable and restful holiday break and are now raring to go! I am contacting you today with a plea to consider making a submission on the Education and Training Bill – even a brief one would be very helpful. There are only 14 days to do so – time runs out at 5pm on February 14. The Bill proposes to repeal and replace all major existing education and training legislation. The changes to New Zealand schools include amending school board objectives to “ensure school governance is underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi...

Season’s greetings to you! Thank goodness Christmas and summer holidays are just around the corner - however, we haven't taken our foot off the pedal just yet. Here’s another newsletter updating some of the issues of concern, with suggestions of actions you can take to help. This includes a reminder of the fast approaching deadline to have your say on LGNZ’s ‘Reinvigorating Democracy: The case for localising power and decision making to councils and communities,’ which is due by Sunday 15th December. Yahoo! We end the year with some very welcome news - the entrenchment of Maori seats failed at...

With the local body elections for 2019 now behind us, let us hope that our representatives understand the fundamental importance of representative democracy, and work to protect its integrity. Michael Coote, one of the mayoral candidates in Auckland, stood on a single-issue platform of citizen equality for all, saying Auckland Council must respect this fundamental principle of modern liberal democratic civilisation. “I am running on a single issue so that there is no ambiguity about the meaning of any vote I receive”, he said. "There is no justice in Auckland Council granting, enabling or facilitating special rights and privileges, or...

It's time to vote, so get your voting papers out of the envelope and start choosing! If you don't know who to vote for then read on for information which may be of help. However, I must add that there has been a very poor response to questions sent to candidates. We are finding the best way to find out where they stand on issues is to approach them personally. Thank you to all who made submissions on the review of the Plant Variety Rights Act. This month we are urging you to make a submission on the Ministry of...

Welcome to our September Update. This month we highlight the following issues: making submissions on the review of the Plant Variety Act; the upcoming local body elections; another example of how our democracy is being undermined - the Hamilton City Council; the Waitangi Tribunal's recently released report on our freshwater and geothermal resources. No doubt you will be well aware it is local government election time again. It can all seem a bit complicated and hard to figure out who to vote for. Therefore, we strongly urge everyone to take every opportunity to question the candidates on the issues you...

We wish to thank everyone who made a submission on the Kāinga Ora - Homes and Communities Bill. Every submission helps, and we are grateful for the support. Last year the Government signalled what was called a significant reset of relations between the Crown and Māori, and has consequently adopted a policy of extending partnerships with Māori beyond the negotiation table. Indeed, the Government has gone so far as to instruct its agencies, in certain instances, to devolve decision making power to Māori – with the Crown implementing the decisions made by Māori. See: Crown engagement with Maori  When embarking on these partnership...

Do you remember back in 2013, when the government of the day undertook a constitutional review? This review featured the role of the Treaty of Waitangi, and Maori representation in Parliament and local government. Feedback from around the country was such that the Review Panel concluded there was no widespread support for constitutional change, and recommended that any significant steps in the constitutional journey be taken following appropriate public participation and deliberation. However, both local and central governments are disregarding this recommendation – the silent majority has become the irrelevant majority. Many Treaty of Waitangi settlements over the last 10...

Following last month’s newsletter, several supporters from around the country contacted us, some informing us of actions they have taken personally, and others saying they wish they could be of help. We are appreciative of the feedback, and are hugely thankful to all who make submissions, send letters to editors, contact politicians, post information on social media, talk to friends and family about the issues, etc. Keep up the good work. Every action we take as individuals counts towards the whole. As the old truism goes “there’s strength in numbers”. The value of making our concerns known to the powers-that-be...

Welcome to the April edition of our monthly update. Isn’t time flying by - who can believe Autumn has arrived? The issues we highlight each month are by no means the total sum of the persistent march of a political agenda incompatible with the principle of equality of citizens. We, as a nation, are constantly bombarded with a plethora of under-the-radar constitutional changes that undermine this principle, aided and abetted by both central and local body governments, our universities, iwi entities, and a compliant media. As a group of volunteers, we are overwhelmed by the magnitude of push for the...

Welcome to our monthly update. In this edition, among other items of interest, you’ll find information about: further developments in the advancement of the ‘partnership’ agenda, including proposals in Auckland Council’s discussion paper ‘a water strategy for the region’; updates on the Canterbury Regional Council (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill; and the HRC decision on race-based policy in Waikato Plan Change 1; the misgivings voiced by the Waikato Regional Council about the significant costs of implementing Treaty settlements. (Please note, WRC also reveals there are approximately 40-50 iwi authorities in their region that may initiate a request for a Mana Whakahono...

Happy New Year to you! I hope you have had the chance to rest, relax and enjoy the sun. We have several projects on the go as we head into 2019. At our first working group meeting of the year - to be held 11 February - we will be setting priorities for the year ahead. These will include issues relating to the upcoming local body elections, to be held on 12 October, and assisting with the campaign to counter the claims to the coast made under the Marine and Coastal Area Act. We acknowledge and very much appreciate the...

And just like that December is here and another year passes us by! We haven't taken our foot off the pedal just yet – here’s another newsletter updating the issues, with suggestions of actions you can take to help. This includes a reminder of the fast approaching deadline to make a submission on the bill to entrench the Maori seats – Friday 14th December. Please see below for more information. Since the public is largely unaware that their local beaches have been claimed, in some cases several times over, it would be of great value if you would help to...

We were very pleased to host Auckland Councillor Mike Lee at a Democracy Action meeting on Sunday, 8th October. Mike’s talked about the power play currently underway for the control of the Hauraki Gulf. With his ‘behind the scenes’ information, Mike was able to confirm the conclusions our group has come to, i.e. forces, both inside and outside central and local government, are pressuring the government to replace representative democracy with a ‘co governance’ model. “But, what can we do?” Mike was asked by more than one member of the audience. He urged us to contact our MPs. As Amy...

Welcome to our monthly update. We begin this month with some good news. After seeing off an attempt by their council to introduce race-based wards earlier this year, the citizens of the Western Bay of Plenty challenged a proposal put forward by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council to scrap its democratically elected community boards and replace them with community committees, to be made up of council-appointed members. And they won! The Maketu community alone made 300 public submissions – overwhelmingly in favour of the democratically elected boards. The council had no option but to listen to their citizens,...

No doubt you have seen the recent news reports about surfers and boaties being shot at off Te Maika-Albatross Pt, south of Kawhia Harbour. The danger is that this behaviour could well become more prevalent throughout the country should claims to customary marine title under the Marine and Coastal Area Act succeed. The Marine and Coastal Area Act is turning out to be a debacle of monumental proportions - it needs to be repealed, and Crown ownership of the foreshore and seabed restored. As the claims are proceeding through the court process, a growing number of claimants are even questioning...

Do you remember back in May, when the citizens of Western Bay of Plenty, Whakatane, Palmerston North, Manawatu and Kaikoura voted to reject the creation of Maori ward seats? The people spoke clearly, but it now appears local bodies are choosing not to listen. A number of councils are looking at ways to circumvent the constitutional right of their citizens to vote on whether they support a racially based political system, or not. Instead, councils are stealthily introducing race-based seats at the decision-making table, as Hamilton City Council did on 2 August when it voted 6-4 to appoint five Māori...

Many thanks to all of you who answered our call to send submissions to the Maori Affairs select committee on the on Ngā Rohe Moana o Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Porou Bill - a settlement which will give Ngāti Porou customary title over significant parts of the East Coast coastline.  And thank you too, to all who contacted Auckland councillors about the anti-democratic provisions in the Auckland Plan 2050.  It is disappointing to see the council has adopted this plan, with only four councillors voting against. Liane Ngamane of the Independent Maori Statutory Board expressed a great deal of satisfaction,...

As mentioned in last month’s update, by promoting further co-governance arrangements for Auckland, and requiring the recognition of ‘mana whenua’ as rangatira, the draft Auckland Plan undermines the fundamental principles of democracy. This month, as an example of such ‘Treaty partnership’ arrangements, we take a look at the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority co-governance entity, to see how this is working for the citizens of Auckland. Many Aucklanders are unhappy about the actions of the Maunga Authority. The people of Devonport-Takapuna have taken exception to the Authority’s “authoritarian manner”, and have organised a petition, to provide a gauge of...

It has been another busy month for the Democracy Action working group. Auckland Council gave its citizens just 28 days to read, research and respond to the draft Auckland Plan 2050 – very little time, and so much to do!  Many of us are very alarmed by what we read in the plan. Please see the update below for more details. Even though the deadline has passed for officially providing the council with feedback on the Plan, this does not prevent us from letting our representatives know what we think about the proposals. Please take the time to do so....

The month of February brought more good news for democracy. Thanks to the commitment and hard work of a number of people, the citizens of Western Bay of Plenty, Manawatu, Palmerston North, Whakatane and Kaikoura will get to vote on Māori wards in May. Congratulations to all concerned! However, the forces which seek to overturn the democratic right of citizens to petition for a poll on Māori wards are stepping up their fight. See the newsletter below for more details. Democracy Action has been very busy over the past couple of months working to inform the public about the huge...

Happy New Year to you! I hope you have had the chance to rest, relax and enjoy the sun. With two important deadlines looming this month, we have had to hit the ground running... They are: petitions to force a public poll on Maori wards must be received by February 21st; and the 26th February deadline for registering as an interested party in the claims made in the High Court under the Marine and Coastal Area Act. (Details on how to go about doing this are available in the newsletter below). The year has begun with some good news for...

Thank you so much for your interest and support over the year. However, with two deadlines looming, the issues are keeping us busy right up to the end of the year, with which you may be able to assist. If you or your organisation are considering registering as an interested party in the claims made in the High Court under the Marine and Coastal Area Act, a reminder that time is rapidly running out to do so. Details on how to go about finding who is claiming what are available in the newsletter below. Help is also being sought to...