Carter: No more 'us and them'

Mayor John Carter has welcomed questions anyone might have regarding the soon to be established Te Oneroa-a-Th"/90 Mile Beach governance board, but the bottom line was that the parties involved had to make it work for the whole community." That is Far North Mayor John Carter's view of a statutory board that will manage Te Oneroa-a-Th"/Ninety Mile Beach.

Mr Carter said he was aware that some people, including Cr Mate Radich, had questions about how the board would manage the beach (Concern over the future of beach access for all, Northland Age June 16).

"Councillors can express their concerns and issues, but people need to understand that Treaty settlements will dramatically change the Far North," he said.

"There used to be an 'us and them' situation between Maori and non-Maori. The relationship is now all about how we can work together towards common goals."

He encouraged anyone who had questions to contact the board once it had been formally convened later in the year. The council supported the establishment of the board, which would develop a beach management plan after consultation with the community. "Obviously" there were issues that the board would need to be aware of, but he was confident that they would be addressed in a mature way that benefited the wider community.

He was also confident that the board would manage any conflicts of interest effectively.

"Cr (David) Collard does a great job of organising the 90 Mile Beach Snapper Bonanza surfcasting competition," he added. (Cr Radich regarded his role in the competition as a conflict of interest, and questioned his appointment to the board)

"Clearly (Cr Collard) won't be able to take part in discussions about matters directly related to the annual event, but that doesn't prevent him from being involved in discussions about the management of the beach in general."

The establishment of Te Oneroa-a-Th" Beach Board is one of the key cultural redress measures in the Te Hiku Claims Settlement Bill, now before Parliament. The council expects the Bill to receive its final reading in the next few months, and the Crown to settle with Te Hiku iwi by the end of the year. The board will be formally convened after that.

The council has appointed Mr Carter and Cr Collard as its representatives on the eight-member board, alongside two from the Northland Regional Council and one from each of four iwi (Te Rarawa, Ngti Kuri, Te Aupouri and Ngi Takoto).

-Council joins the board - the Northland Age, page 2