2013-2017 TAMAKI MAKAURAU MAORI ECONOMIC POLICY A PUBLIC VOTER POLICY DOCUMENT 20 SEPTEMBER 2013 Te Tiriti o Waitangi; it is a name of public controversy like no other. Yet this founding 1840 document was a signed agreement for the peaceful settlement and economic prosperity in Aotearoa. Its preamble and articles clearly articulates a British treaty of protection; a common feature of that era. At the heart of the treaty was a genuine attempt by Queen Victoria to protect the economic wealth of their territories from the impacts of a mass migration. An exclusive deal and proclamation of equal British citizenship temporarily countered the corrupt New Zealand Company and Wakefield brothers. Despite the proceeding events, the original purpose of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to create a peaceful co-existence between settler and Maori was not forgotten and is as relevant today as it was in yesteryear. Between 1835 and 1871 old Auckland was a booming province if construction and expansive development. Located in an isthmus, surrounded by forests, lakes, rivers and coastlines, old Auckland was a central hub for domestic and export trading for all nationalities and tribes. The history of Aucklands provincial and now regional development constitutes the bedrock of today’s Auckland Super City; a monumental achievement in its won right. In 2013, Auckland Maori are able to add to this long pioneering history by choosing a higher quality of life and shared wealth for a future whanau legacy. This bicultural inter-generational model is characteristic with the early ideals of the old Auckland; an amazing period of cultural etiquette. Where each cultural world was on public show with reputation and mana on the line; blending into a local dual identity over time. When it came to the future generations, both cultures were of one mindset. Auckland Maori and settlers were in no doubt who they were building this new world for and the reasons why; physical and financial protection from the northern and southern wars. Unfortunately, the theme of war runs constant in the history of Auckland Maori with the loss of the 1860 NZ Land Wars, resulting in Maori poverty, violence, addiction, ill health and illiteracy in the modern era. Lucrative treaty settlements have yet to deliver full employment or small Maori enterprise to the large pan-iwi population of Auckland Maori. Unemployed Auckland Maori youth in particular stand little chance with no money and no job with minor drug convictions. Most Maori youth turn to petty crime and selling cannabis and methamphetamine for income. This economic crisis stems from the failure of previous generations to build for them an alternative economic foundation to live on; leaving them to the mercy of WINZ and the gangs instead. And it is a grim reality in Auckland that cannot be ignored. All is not lost. This policy is specifically structured to use economic stimuli to tap into the inherent industrious side of the Maori psyche. Avoiding an individualistic model, the importance to regionally combine is paramount in creating full employment and a financial future to the idle minds and idle hands of the legion of unemployed Auckland youth. There is also a large Maori workforce rotting away in Aucklands prisons that can be included into the new Auckland Maori workforce. With so much new infrastructure planned to be built, maintained and secured in the Auckland region and the opportunity for Maori iwi to invest in this progress, the new Auckland Council will be determined to employ any group of potential Maori workers; freeing them to work and earn their way out of their unemployment dysfunction. AUCKLAND COUNCIL-NGATI WHATUA ECONOMIC AGREEMENT INITIATIVE 1. The new Auckland Council, Maori Economic Development Panel and the Maori Statutory Board will discuss with Ngati Whatua, the appropriate tikanga and kaupapa of making the Auckland Super City the central business and international investment hub for Maori iwi in New Zealand. 2. The new Auckland Council will actively seek international performances for Ngati Whatua to showcase Auckland Maori kapa haka, arts and culture to the world. 3. The new Auckland Council will investigate the construction plans of the proposed Warkworth to Wellsford section highway project. AUCKLAND COUNCIL-NORTH ISLAND IWI AGREEMENT INITIATIVE 1. The new Auckland Councils Upper North Island Strategic Alliance will be resourced with increased funding and investment incentives to attract Maori iwi to Auckland in order to create a super inter-regional economic Maori collective 2. The new Auckland Council will seek to invest in eco-tourism and in the primary industries of sheep farming and marino wool, fisheries and raw materials, in multiple joint ventures with any Maori iwi. 3. In any joint venture, the new Auckland Council wants full rangatahi employment and a 30 year long term win-win perspective in its business relationships. 4. The new Auckland Council will provide an appropriate building to accommodate a future Auckland based pan-Maori inter-regional iwi investment group. AUCKLAND COUNCIL-NZ MAORI COUNCIL AGREEMENT INITATIVE 1. The new Auckland Council will discuss with the NZ Maori Council how to provide an amount of ‘danger money’, uniforms and communications to Aucklands volunteer Maori Wardens; an important security screen for the Auckland streets and events. 2. The new Auckland Council and NZ Maori Council to discuss applying the same model to Pacific Island and Asian Wardens; eventually integrating all three branches under the existing management organisation. AUCKLAND COUNCIL-MAORI WOMENS WELFARE LEAGUE AGREEMENT INITIATIVE 1. The new Auckland Council to acknowledge the good work of the Maori Woman’s Welfare League in Auckland and to work closely with them to provide more help and funding to continue their work with Maori wahine. 2. The new Auckland Council to discuss with the Auckland Maori Womans Welfare League what changes are needed to ensure the protection of young and vulnerable Maori women. 3. A joint public advertising campaign in Auckland on the core health and social issues that are deemed important to Maori women. AUCKLAND COUNCIL-AUSTRALIAN MAORI AGREEMENT INITIATIVE 1. The new Auckland Council will seek to establish new relationships with the many Maori organisations in Australia to facilitate a more frequent inter-action of cultural and business interests. 2. The new Auckland Council will discuss with interested Australian Maori about becoming economic ambassadors for the Auckland region; convincing those bored Australian weekend tourists to visit our super city. CONCLUSION Carving out a prosperous future for Aucklands rangatahi, tamariki and mokopuna is not going to be easy. However this crisis also constitutes a greater conviction for the new Auckland Council to generate more inter-regional economic activity that creates employment and training; that is economics based. Having a broader network gives more financial security and certainty. And with Auckland Super City ideally placed within a region of abundance, and with its global connections, Auckland presents a golden opportunity for Maori iwi to gather and economically amalgamate with the new Auckland Council. Consequently, the full employment of Auckland Maori and the income revenue it will generate in Maori homes and the local economy is priority. A contributing Maoridom is vital in the Auckland Plan and the absence of a young Maori workforce is reflected in Aucklands dismal GDP. The work rehabilitation of the Maori unemployed with an honest day’s mahi is good for them and helps the construction of new infrastructure and transportation of the intended volume of international trade. There is no reason why the unemployed Maori youth in the other North Island regions cant join the new Auckland workforce either; the more hands, the lighter the workload. Fundamentally, this policy empowers Auckland Maori to join with the new Auckland Council to generate greater economic wealth by working with other Maori iwi as an agreed collective. The mana of this kaupapa is that it makes the Auckland region and the other regions involved financially prosperous, and that means full employment and more disposal income for Maori whanau. This is what makes Tamaki Makaurau a true Super City for both peaceful co-existence and business ventures between Maori and non-Maori. And in this shared environment, there is a reciprocal honouring of the economy based community spirit that constitutes the multi-cultural and inter-generational nucleus of the 1840 Te Tiriti o Waitangi in modern day times. Yours faithfully Jesse Butler (BA/BA (Hons)/MA: Political Studies: University of Auckland) 2013 Auckland Mayoral Candidate
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 11:01:25 +0000
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