Māori Engagement

MĀORI DEVELOPMENT

Māori Development, in collaboration with other departments, will play a key role in addressing the following areas:

• Māori Representation
• Māori Economic & Social Development
• Internal Capacity Building
• External Engagement

• Council's Local Government Act 2002 obligations, especially a requirement to establish processes to give Māori the opportunity to contribute to decision-making and to consider ways to foster Māori development and capacity through better engagement; coupled with
• The increased amount of submissions from Māori to the LTCCP that sought more strategic alignment with Iwi Māori with more support and direction on its Māori engagement programmes &/or initiatives.

At this stage Council has initiated Māori Reference Groups alongside Community Boards as part of its non-electoral Māori representation. Council has decided that it may conduct an elective representative review in 2011/12 for the purposes of deciding the issue of whether to introduce dedicated Māori seats on Council. If the outcome of that review leads to the establishment of Māori seats, then they would become effective at the 2013 elections.

In relation to developing Māori Freehold Land, Council is changing the emphasis by providing more development opportunities by enabling those that are willing and able to build &/or develop on Māori Freehold Land. Whilst Council only administers a small component of Māori Freehold Land development this will require greater collaboration with other primary agencies including the Māori Land Court, Te Puni Kokiri, Housing New Zealand, other central government social and development agencies and Iwi Authorities. These development opportunities will be project driven with a number of capacity building workshops (e.g.) Council may facilitate papakainga development workshops to outline what provisions there are within the District Plan and how they relate to papakainga or other housing purposes.

With regards to the internal capacity building, the Waiata Roopu continually provides consistent support and has participated at a range of council functions, including powhiri/welcoming ceremonies, poroporoaki/farewells and civic functions like citizenship ceremonies.

EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

With regards to external engagement forums, Council is in the process of canvassing strategic and collaborative relationships with central government agencies and Iwi Authorities within the District. This relationship building process seeks to align Māori social and development outcomes so that there are clearer opportunities and efficiencies when providing for the social, cultural, environmental and economic development and well being of Māori within the Far North.