Rawiri Taonui: Tension among taniwha grows in Tainui parliament

Maori King Tuheitia's sacking of Tania Martin undermines the democracy of the parliament and jeopardises the mana of the Kingitanga. Photo / Ben Fraser

An old saying is "ko Waikato, he piko, he taniwha" - at each bend along the Waikato River lies a chief.

This month's sacking of Tania Martin, elected chairwoman of Tainui's Te Kauhanganui parliament, is the latest in a series of coups, counter-coups, purges and public denunciations via the media as an agent of ambush.

The heart of tensions are too many chiefs in a complex structure comprising the hereditary Kingitanga, the Te Kauhanganui elected parliamentary body, an 11-member Te Arataura cabinet-like executive chaired by Tuku Morgan, and a chief executive-led Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui administrative arm.

In 2003, Kingi Porima was dumped as chairman of the executive Te Arataura, ostensibly for refusing to support the ousting of CEO Hemi Rau. Moves to fire Mr Rau were ultimately scuttled after one of Mr Porima's replacements, Haydn Solomon, also declined to support the action.

In 2004, Solomon's co-chairman, Mr Morgan, and executive member Koro Wetere - both former MPs - were forced to resign under overly stringent rules barring minor historical convictions. Mr Solomon was subsequently booted for "bringing the tribe into disrepute" over involvement in Department of Corrections contracts.

Since the passing of guiding hand Dame Te Atairangikaahu, the power struggle has worsened. In 2008 Tom Roa, then chairman of Te Kauhanganui, defeated a Mr Morgan-led proposal in the High Court to merge the Te Arataura chair role with the Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui CEO position - effectively establishing a new prime ministerial position, Te Tumu Whakarae.

Mr Rau was finally dismissed in December last year for leaking embarrassing stories about financial affairs of members of King Tuheitia's personal staff, a saga during which the King offered to abdicate.

Sonny Wilson, an executive member, was dumped shortly after, also for media leaks, as was Kingi Porima, seemingly for little more than confirming to the press the vote for new CEO, Parekawhia McLean.

Ms Martin was sacked for a report that, while an unhelpful pre-emptive strike against the executive, raises valid questions.

Amongst other things the report alleged a secretive spending blowout by the executive of 30 per cent this year to $2.5 million. Mr Morgan refutes this, saying spending will be less than last year's $1.7 million.

The report questions why annual honoraria to executive members increased $15,000 and were backdated while grants to tribal members and marae are declining.

Ms Martin is highly critical of Mr Morgan, who receives $75,000 as Te Arataua chairman plus $40,000 in an associated role of principal negotiator - a position Ms Martin says is redundant now that the Waikato River claim has been settled.

Critics say Mr Morgan is the puppet-master behind the throne of King Tuheitia. Mr Morgan is a shrewd powerhouse, possessing one of the best combinations of strategic acumen, political nous and tikanga skills in Maoridom, whose vision sometimes pushes the envelope too quickly.

He needs to take people with him. The late-1990s shadow of the underpants saga also haunts him, despite his exoneration by both the Serious Fraud Office and the Ministry of Commerce.

Ms Martin has taken High Court action. Although old-time chiefs often acted to enforce unity, King Tuheitia's sacking of Ms Martin undermines the democracy of the parliament, bypasses standing dispute resolution processes, is not constitutional and jeopardises the mana of the Kingitanga as a unifying force both within and outside the tribe, something his predecessor and mother built up over many years. Allegations he swore at tribal members don't help.

The political ructions stem partly from sensitivity over media reports in 2000, which unfairly ridiculed the tribe for mismanaging its Treaty settlement compared with Ngai Tahu, on the basis both had received $170 million. In fact, the way the book value of returned lands was counted for Tainui but not Ngai Tahu meant the latter received $100 million more in cash. Tainui has therefore done extraordinarily well to grow a $640 million asset on par with Ngai Tahu.

Key issues require resolution. Ms Martin's sacking highlights tensions between the hereditary kingship and the democracy of the parliament.

Bigger than the Beehive and more democratic than democracy, the parliament seems large - 198 elected members comprising one kaumatua (elder), pakeke (adult) and rangatahi (youth) from 66 constituent marae - multiple cross-generational voices have value but currently compromise confidentiality.

There is tension between the CEO and executive chairperson - the administrative side reports to the parliament while commercial bosses report to the executive.

There is also tension between the respective chairpeople of the parliament and the executive. Current rules bar the parliamentary chairperson from sitting on the executive. It seems self-evident that they should attend - short of one person chairing both bodies.

Solving these equations will lead the tribe into the future. Final decisions belong to the 60,000 people of Tainui and their King - indivisible for all time, they are the heart of the tribe. Indeed, at every bend along the mighty Waikato lies a taniwha.

* Dr Rawiri Taonui is a Maori political commentator and academic rtaonui@xtra.co.nz