Maori affairs reporter Maori warden volunteers have threatened to hand in their warrants unless the law governing their association is reformed - a drastic move throwing the future of the organisation in doubt.
Association president Gloria Hughes called powers under the Maori Community Development Act "archaic" last year when it emerged that wardens had the powers to remove a Maori from a bar or tell bar staff to stop serving them alcohol.
The act which dates back to 1962 hasn't kept pace with what wardens actually do in the community today such as monitor truancy, public patrols, security, youth and court work. Government consultation is looming on changes to the law, however Ms Hughes believes the major problem is clear.
Wardens are extremely frustrated they still operate under the New Zealand Maori Council, she said. Before the Maori Affairs Minister approves wardens' warrants a district body of the council must sign them off. Ms Hughes said the council was "dysfunctional" and in areas where it doesn't operate strongly, wardens' work languishes.
In Christchurch before the February earthquake the wardens' numbers had been reduced drastically because no new warrants had been signed off in a decade.
