February 10, 2020
Random ambush not good for treaty relationship
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Crown-Māori Relationships Minister Kelvin Davis wants the Iwi Chairs Forum to step up and engage constructively with the Government.
Ministers attended the forum in Waitangi last week, with water, Oranga Tamariki and land on the agenda.
That shortlist was set in part by a major Government announcement about rating relief for whenua Māori, a proposal for investment in water storage aimed at getting Māori to pull back from court action, and the decision by the Māori Inquiry into Oranga Tamariki to launch its report at the forum.
Mr Davis says it highlighted the need to set shared priorities well in advance of each meeting.
"So that each time we turn up to the Iwi Chairs Forum, we're not just getting random stuff thrown at us, but together we are saying 'this is what we have achieved since the last hui, now our next set of goals before the next quarterly hui, this is what they are,' and we can actually see progress in a number of the issues that we have been talking about together.
Kelvin Davis says a lot was promised by the previous National-Māori Party Government from its relationship with the Iwi Leaders Forum but nothing was achieved, despite millions of dollars being spent.
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