Iwi consultation to be targeted in review of race policies

By RUTH BERRY political reporter

The Government is scrutinising Maori consultation requirements in a wide-ranging review to weed out race-based policies.

The iwi rules were behind $1.3 million paid to Maori as part of the resource management consent process for the new Meremere prison and have come under fierce political attack.

Race Relations Minister Trevor Mallard last night warned of significant changes in some areas as a result of the review, which is expected to take about 18 months.

His comments signal a shift from the Government's earlier position, when ministers predicted that programmes would withstand examination.

Mr Mallard released the terms of reference of the review, announced by the Government last month as it reeled from the surge in support for National after leader Don Brash's attack on "race-based" programmes and the Treaty of Waitangi.

Mr Mallard said the review would force Government departments to sift through all their policies and "there's likely to be substantial change in some areas".

The review would examine "how the range of provisions for participation by Maori in statutory processes are working in practice".

He confirmed that consultation provisions in the Resource Management Act and the Local Government Act, only recently reformed, would be targeted.


"There are some issues around the difference between informing and consulting and having a veto right exercised in the RMA that have to be sorted through.

"People certainly allege that a veto right is being claimed. In some of these things, time is part of that. It's a question of processes being deliberately slowed."

Asked if he believed the pendulum had swung too far, he said: "There's certainly a public perception that it has and there's a lot of anecdote around that. Part of the exercise ... is to find out whether the allegations are reality."

He believed a "degree of political correctness" combined with people taking short-cuts had resulted in some bad policy decisions.

Provisions in the State Sector Act that saw job applicants tested on their treaty knowledge were an example.

The review will be led by a five-strong team based at the State Services Commission and is expected to begin work in May.