THE Masterton District Council has decided to give iwi representation -- with voting rights -- on two committees, including policy and finance. That's essentially the powerhouse committee, the one that gets things done. It's the one reporters tended to cover, to hear the big decisions, the controversial ones. They were still subject to the sign-off of a full council meeting, but since this had already been debated by the same people in committee, it was effectively a rubber-stamp.
The council has set up a situation where two -- as yet unknown -- people, who you did not vote for, will have exactly the same voting rights as a district councillor, the people you did vote for, to decide on your behalf how your rates would be utilised.
This is, essentially, a repeat of an age-old pattern of reverse discrimination. It's a process in many situations I tend to agree with. There are advantages afforded to iwi not provided to Pakeha, because the imbalance between Pakeha and Maori is so profoundly out of kilter we need artificial means to address it.
If we do not provide advantageous means of Maori achieving in Western society, then we are in danger of the only concept of a Maori role model being a patched gang member or a sports star. We need Maori leaders, educators, MPs and district councillors. Even today, women are able to tap into educational trusts not available to men, because there was a time when it was felt women needed a charitable advantage.
It's up to you to think about how much "advantage" there should be. But since we live in a community where Maori stepping up as candidates are almost non-existent, we seem to be in need of an artificial boost. Perhaps the two persons, having had a taste of voting in local authority, might decide local government is for them one day. And that's a worthwhile change.
